Rags 'N' Riches
by talkswithherhands
Summary: Rizzles. Jane and Maura must once again face the prospect of different worlds when Maura's mother beckons her away from Boston due to her father's growing illness and Jane, unwilling to lose her best friend, follows along for support. FEED THE BARD.
1. Mama Drama

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author:** LJBard

**Pairing?:** Jane/Maura, don't like? Don't read!

**Disclaimer: **My first Rizzisles ficlet, please be nice as I try to fully understand the characters and get a better feel for them, it seems no matter how many times I watch the series, I figure the best way to really know the character is to write them. Sooo enjoy!

**Summary: **Rizzisles. Jane and Maura must once again face the prospect of different worlds when Maura's mother beckons her away from Boston due to her father's growing illness and Jane, unwilling to lose her best friend, follows along for support.

**Review:** Yes, please! More reviews, more chapters!

**A/N:** please be kind and feed the bard! If you care to share more story ideas with me, feel free to catch me up on Twitter lj_tarr.

-1-

The lights flickered with life as the sliding glass doors to the Boston Homicide Autopsy lab opened. A soft 'hum' in the air from the whirring of the computer as Dr. Maura Isles walked in, shook the mouse to awaken it from its slumber, cloaked in her favorite black scrubs, shedding her thick winter jacket, her long blonde curls were pulled back into a simple ponytail.

As she hung her coat, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror hanging from her desk, shadows rippled beneath her normally bright green eyes, her face was sunken, and pale. This was the fifth night in a row, since the closing of the Adam Fairfield case, that Maura had snuck back into her work lab, before the sun even shone, even though she had only been here a mere six and a half hours ago, but who was counting?

_Stop this tom-foolery, this is not where you belong, Maura!_ Maura winced, the hard sting of the brazen words still fresh in her mind, rippling through her subconscious as they played over and over again, haunting her.

She placed her safety glasses on, and grabbed a report she had not finished earlier, off of her desk, flipping through the pages, and documenting a few notes before walking over to the "dead fridge" as her best friend so lovingly had named it, and opened the locker to a John Doe she had been inspecting earlier for a cause of death.

_Toying with the dead, have you no shame for yourself? For your name? This is madness, Maura!_ Maura ignored the cold words, silently muttering under her breath for them to go away. Realizing she was speaking to no one in particular, the words fell on dead ears. Literally.

She began another incision and before she knew it, she was elbow deep in intestines, busying her mind with medical terminology, numbers and possible traumatic causes of injury. As she finished weighing the liver, she turned back to examine her notes and caught a glimpse of the male on her examination table, he was young, roughly around 25 or 26 years of age, his dark hair was long, curled at the ends, and his features soft, elegant, chiseled…

_Garrett…_

"No," Maura wiped that memory that haunted her of how she had practically betrayed the one person she'd ever truly been in love with. But the things that he had done, how he did them, he wasn't the same man she had once loved. Jane had been right, he was a murderer, and a sleazebag.

_Still doesn't make it hurt any less, now does it, Maura? He always treated you with dignity, respect, and you turned around and practically destroyed his entire family, what's left of it!_

"He destroyed his own life, not me," Maura whispered. She began to process that her brain must be entirely too fatigued now that she was speaking aloud, answering her thoughts that sounded much too familiar, she wasn't insane, but she was hurt.

How could she have nearly let that smile, those eyes, fool her like they had before?

"It's not my fault," Maura's eyes stung with tears as she hovered over the DB on her slab. "I did my job-"

The doors swung open to the lab, causing Maura to leap back with a yelp. Jane, looking petrified at Maura, stumbled with the coffee cup in her hand.

"Maura, what's wrong?" Jane asked, concern lacing her voice as she rushed to her best friends' side. Maura stepped back, putting an arms distance away, not looking Jane in the eye, but not missing the hurt that flashed across the brunette's stunning features.

"Nothing, just… I'm tired," Maura avoided the truth as she blinked rapidly to stop the filling of her tear ducts, sniffling in a little she looked up, hoping Jane would not push her.

Jane failed.

"Jesus, M, you look like Hell," Jane sighed, touching her arm. Maura flinched, but did not jerk away, a movement that did not go unnoticed by the detective. "When was the last time you slept good? Have you been here all night?"

"Jane.. please I'm not much for discussion this morning-" Maura paused as the doors opened once more and Jane dropped her arm as Korsak strode in, blissfully unaware of the two women's conversation and personal moment as he smiled at the doctor.

"Hey doc, you got anything on this John Doe for me?" Korsak asked.

"You're workin' a case, Korsak?" Jane asked, stunned.

"Well if we were partners, you'd know that wouldn't ya?" he teased, but didn't crack a smile. Jane rolled her eyes.

"Enough already, I've got real work to do, Maura, we're not finished with this conversation," Jane stated tenderly, turned on her heel and walked out of the lab. Maura watched her leave out of her peripheral vision before closing her notebook and sighing.

"Everything okay between you two?" Korsak asked, praying that he wouldn't get tied up between another one of their girl-spats.

"As good as it can get, I suppose," Maura half-smiled. "I'm sorry, you asked me a question… the John Doe is still just as much a mystery to us as he was yesterday, however, I found multiple lacerations to the skull, which I created a casting and sent it to the lab for results, so far nothing back yet, but the blunt force trauma to the temporal lobe was severe enough to give me a proper cause of death…"

"So he was basically bludgeoned upside the noggin with an inanimate object until he croaked, is that right?" Korsak asked, a bit more Boston-slang-like than Maura cared for, but she nodded.

"Well, looks like I'll have to be patient and wait for the tests, you sure you're okay? I know that I didn't really take you and Jane's fight too seriously but I never was much for being the peace keeper, ya know?" Korsak laid a friendly hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

Maura smiled sincerely.

"Thank you, Vince, I promise Jane and I are just fine, I'm just... dealing with my own personal dilemma's now," she promised.

"Okay, well if you need me, I'll be upstairs in the deli," he gave her a grin that made her recall Korsak's interest in the baker/owner of the deli ran upstairs in the department. She smiled as she watched the elder Homicide detective waltz out with a bit more spring in his step.

Korsak was like a father figure to her, so much that it caused her to feel a pang of guilt in her heart for having not spoken to her own father in nearly a year, but it wasn't due to her lack of trying…

The phone blared throughout her office and she jumped in the air, nearly knocking over a tray of her scalpels when she went to answer it.

"Autopsy, Dr. Isles speaking," she said, clearly.

"Dr. Isles, sorry to bother you, there is a woman here and h-hey-!" the ruckus in the background made Maura stare at the phone quizzically until a voice came over the receiver that made her heart nearly stop.

"Maura Elizabeth Isles, you get your fourth point of contact up here this instant!" came the shriek of an elder woman's voice that gave her no impression for mistake, Margaret Isles.

-x-

Jane had just settled into a thick packet of paper that were old case files she had left to handle when the ruckus from out front caused her to glance over at her partner, Frost, who looked back at her and shrugged with an "don't look at me for answers," look.

"Hold down the fort," Jane muttered and slapped the file down her desk. With a sigh, she exited the bullpen and was amazed to see Bill, the beat cop that worked on her brother, Frankie's, squad, trying to calm down a woman in her late fifties, early sixties, who was dressed like she was going to be attending a fancy ball or gala, her graying blonde hair was twisted up into a perfect bun that would make any military female jealous, and for a woman of her stature and age, the only lines on her tight porcelain face, were the small aging crow's feet that spieled out from her angered gray eyes.

"Ma'am, please, I can't just let you go in there without a proper explanation!" Bill tried to calm the woman who was prepared to sling her oversized Gucci purse at him when Jane rounded on her quickly enough to catch the offending object in her arms, but the sheer force of impact, she did not expect, hit her in the chest and made her dizzy with the backlash, nearly knocking the wind out of her.

"What the crap, lady? Are you looking to get arrested?" Jane practically shrieked at the old bat. "You _do _realize it is a federal offense to strike an officer?"

"Well it's a good thing you stopped me then," the woman sneered. Jane stared, dumbfounded, as she realized the woman was trying to obviously put her in her place. "Oh, please, don't tell me that they actually let women in the force now, these days, too? First my daughter, now they're letting _women_ charge the streets?"

She turned an icy glare over to Bill.

"What's wrong, officer? You men just can't provide in _that_ department anymore-?"

"That's it, you're coming with me," Jane grabbed the woman's wrist that held the purse, first.

"Unhand me, you swine woman!" the woman shrieked.

"Not until you learn to curb that tongue of yours-"

"Let me _go-!_"

"Mother," Jane and the woman, and Bill, all paused and stared, dumbfounded at the wide-eyed M.E., who stared back at Jane who immediately released the elder woman, out of pure shock.

"Did you just say-_oof!_" Jane doubled over from the weight of the purse being slung into her midsection by the incessant woman.

"Maura, my God, child could you have made me wait _any _longer?" the woman, Margaret Isles, scolded her daughter.

"Mother, please come downstairs, we can discuss matters about this elsewhere, privately," she looked up at Jane, apologetically as she took her mothers' purse. Jane stared at Maura, disbelievingly.

Jane had known that Maura's adopted parents were filthy rich and occasionally snooty, according to her, but she really had _no_ idea. She watched Maura guide her mother down to the lab, catching bits and pieces of the elder woman scolding Maura for being untimely, for her crude choice in co-workers, and don't get her _started _on the scrubs…

Jane recalled the first time she brought Maura over to the Rizzoli family Sunday dinner. It had been interesting, seeing Maura out of her comfort zone, trying to open her up to the world and its endless possibilities, although Jane severely kicked herself in the ass for making Maura suffer through her family as a start.

That is until, of course, Maura looked over at Jane across the dinner table, and her eyes, that night, had been the first time Jane had ever seen them so green, so passionate and so bright with happiness. Maura thanked her politely for the invitation after dinner was over. And Jane remembered her own mother, Angela Rizzoli, questioning Maura about her own family meals as a child. Maura had gone silent then…

"_I think the only real time my family spent the time to sit down and enjoy a meal with me was right after my High school graduation, even then it only lasted about a half an hour before my father had a lecture to do at Cambridge and my mother had a Bridge club meeting…" _Maura had told Angela, who merely pulled Maura into a huge embrace and went on and on about how she could never understand how any parent could never smother their child as much as she loved to do to Jane, Frankie, and when he was sober, Tommy.

On the ride back to her apartment, Jane and Maura had been silent the whole way, Jane occasionally would glance back at Maura to ensure she was doing fine, and Maura would then turn her head to watch something out the window. Jane had dreaded the moment she placed her car in park, thinking Maura was waiting for an excuse to leave.

What she thought would have been an angry retort of how her family was nosy and blatantly rude, loud and improper, turned into the most amazing thing Jane had ever heard from Maura.

"_You have a lovely family, Jane, you should be very happy to have such a great support channel through them," Maura smiled._

"_They're.. okay, I s'pose, Ma 'n Pop did the best they could, raisin' the three of us on a plumbers' salary.." Jane smiled, a bit sadly._

"_They're wonderful people… I can see how much they love you, without them even needing to say a word," Maura smiled. She reached up, unconsciously and tucked a strand of ebony hair behind Jane's ear, Jane froze, as did Maura._

_That stare seemed to last forever, until Jane felt the lump in her throat and she had to look away to clear it. The moment was broken, she flushed in embarrassment but was surprised to see Maura still very happy, looking out ahead._

"_Maura.. I'm sorry if anything that was said tonight.. offended you in any way-"_

"_Don't be silly, Jane," Maura looked back at her, still smiling that smile. "I'm not exactly happy to say that my parents weren't always there, that I sometimes think that maybe I would have been better off if I'd never been adopted at all, that I got more attention from the nannies that sitted me or my school teachers in France… but I'm not ungrateful."_

_Jane watched as Maura looked back out the window and sighed. _

"_I love my parents, they gave me a life that most would dare to dream for, endless opportunities, a brilliant education, I lived the life of a princess…"_

"_But the fairytales never show just how unhappy those princesses truly are, ignored by their families who think money can buy happiness…" Jane scowled ahead, angry with Maura's parents, furious at two people she had never even met, for having never seen the beautiful, brilliant and sexy woman that Maura was, inside and out._

_A warm hand covered her own, Jane felt a jolt race up her arm, she stared down at Maura's hand that enveloped her own, then followed it up to the warm green eyes of her new friend._

"_Can I stay here tonight?" Maura questioned, out of the blue. "I don't wish to inconvenience you, but I am not ready just yet for this fairytale night to end." She smiled, and Jane knew from that moment on, her heart was lost to the Google-speaking, abnormally shy, slightly goofy woman sitting across from her._

Jane dazed back into reality, Bill had a hand on her shoulder, shaking her back into the real world.

"You okay, Rizzoli?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine," Jane answered, shortly, and walked away, back into the bullpen where Frost was searching through a load of cases for an old Crosswind murder.

"You look like you just seen a ghost, Jane, you alright?" Frost asked.

"If one more person asks me that, they're getting a sucker punch to the groin," Jane grumbled, jotting down a note on her sticky pad. She slammed her hand on the table and got back up. "I'll be in autopsy…"

Frost nodded and watched her go.

"Hey, Rizzo! How's it hangin?" Detective Crowe leered rudely as she passed him, she turned her head back and forth, scouting for something before she clenched her fist and took Crowe down with a swift punch in his midsection, he crumbled forward with a wheeze.

"Better than you think, Crowe," she responded and headed for the elevator to head down to autopsy. _I think now is a perfect time to finish that conversation with Maura…_

_

* * *

_

**AN:** Liked it? Loved it? hated it? LET ME KNOW IN THE REPLY BOX BELOW! Feed the bard, or just tweet me lj_tarr. more chapters will come as soon as my muse returns or i gain enough energy to write them, in the meantime... REVIEW!


	2. Mother Knows Best?

**Title**: _Rags 'N' Riches _

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer**: Still not mine!

**Review**: You know the drill… FEED THE BARD!

-2-

"I have to hand it to you, darling, I had begun to worry when you stopped answering my phone calls, I can't believe I had to travel all the way to Boston just to find you and confront you on this matter, do you know how embarrassing it is for me to explain this to the girls?" Margaret Isles sat idly in the autopsy lab, analyzing her only daughters' every movement as she sipped herbal tea, from a Styrofoam cup, no less.

"I'm certain your Bridge club friends will tell me all about it and turn it into a tall tale for the next big charity fundraiser, Mother," Maura sighed, turning off her microscope and placing the used scalpels away in the sanitize bin.

"Maura, you're making me dizzy, sit down and speak to me like the young lady I raised," Margaret chided. "My goodness, sometimes I don't know what your father and I were thinking, agreeing to let you come slum in this city with all these criminals and _hoodlums_."

Maura paused, her mother's words bringing up the all too painful memory of Jane's cruel words that had been thrown at her no less than a couple weeks ago.

_"Why are you down here slummin' it with us?"_

_"Sometimes I don't even know whose side you're on anymore, Maura…"_

_"You looked really at home in that world…"_

"I doubt anything you or father would have said could have changed my mind, Mother, I am not a child," Maura bit out, as calmly as she could, not wishing to pick a fight.

"Then stop _acting_ like one," Margaret snapped. Maura stopped fiddling with her utensils and looked back at her mothers' grim features, her gray eyes were as cold as steel, her lips thinned to a fine line that made her seem as though she were sneering.

"I'm sure you realize by now that I am not here merely for the pleasure of seeing you-"

At that moment the doors to the morgue swung open and Maura's eyes widened in horror at Jane strolling in.

"Hey, M, got a minute?"

"Jane now isn't really a goo-"

"Did your mother teach you no manners as a child, or is she simply as barbaric as you, walking into someone else's conversation?" Margaret Isles' eyes narrowed into steely slits.

"Well excuse me, ma'am, but you happen to forget that I have no problem tossing a pair of cuffs on you for the earlier little assault stunt against myself and Officer Malone," Jane stated, rigid.

"Jane-"

"How _dare _you threaten me with your useless words," Margaret prodded. "I happen to be close friends with the city commissioner's wife and I could have your badge, your title, your entire world in a simple phone call!"

"Mother, please!" Maura tried to break up the dispute, failing miserably.

"Maura, how can you sit here and defend this woman's rude behavior? This is nothing like you!"

"Well maybe it's about time you get to really know your daughter, Mrs. Isles, seeing as how everyone else in the world but you, practically raised her-" Jane sneered.

"Jane!"

"You sass-mouthed little street rat, you dare speak to a woman of my stature like you do, I have never in all my days met somebody so spiteful, and I know _politicians!_"

"ENOUGH!" Maura's voice rose an impeccable amount. Her chest heaved with exasperation of her outburst. Jane looked at Maura strangely, having never heard the woman shout in all the time she'd known her.

Maura's eyes were wild, like a frightened deer, her breathing grew ragged and before Jane could think twice, she was flashing forward to catch Maura as she sent herself into hyperventilation and passed out.

"MAURA!" Margaret and Jane called out simultaneously. Jane had caught the blonde and held her close, lifting her up onto the metal slab, she brushed a strand of hair from her .

"You see what you did?" Margaret Isles snapped.

"Me?" Jane spat.

"I don't see any other incompetent brunettes near me," Margaret stated with a shrug.

"Look, I don't know anything about you, I don't even care, all I care about is Maura, and her well-being, so obviously, she's under a lot of stress right now, she hasn't been sleeping well so I am going to take her home-" Jane stated.

"Home is exactly right, she has every reason to be stressed what with her father's health, goodness, child, does she not tell you these things?" Margaret snipped, hastily.

Jane paused, confused. Maura had never mentioned anything about her father's health… Is that why she wasn't sleeping? Why hadn't she said anything? She looked at the blonde and knew that Maura probably didn't know how to tell Jane, she had never been great at discussing her personal life, beyond that of which Jane already knew.

"I'm taking her home," Jane murmured, moving to pick up her best friend, knowing that with a little rest, she could confront Maura without guilt about why she had not told her about her worries and bothers.

"No need, my car is waiting out front, I will have Remy take her," Margaret motioned over and Jane looked over her shoulder, stunned to see a young man with thick dark hair and bright blue eyes move toward her. Had he been there through the entire conversation? Jane was astonished she had not noticed him in the doorway.

He was clad in what Jane could only define as "butler attire." With the exception of a hat, he wore all black, with a fancy tie and shined shoes, he lifted Maura with ease and before Jane could protest, he was already out the door.

"_I could have done that,_" Jane thought miserably. As Margaret walked out of the morgue without another word, Jane couldn't help but feel that all-too-familiar stab of pain and guilt in her gut like she had during the Fairfield case.

Maura had been so at ease, so much more at home surrounded by the rich tightwads that thought they were above the law. And when Garrett turned out to be the ever charming, handsome debonair that Maura swooned for, Jane was hardly able to control the rage and jealous demeanor that suddenly came out of nowhere.

Garrett had hugged Maura, _her_ Maura, and she had hugged him back, showing sympathy, and Jane had turned to see this after telling off that snooty lawyer of the Fairfield family, who later turned out to be her biggest ally, and all Hell broke loose within her heart.

Maura's sympathetic eyes had done nothing to calm Jane's sudden fear of losing her best friend, the woman who seemed to be able to keep Jane on line, had suddenly pulled out a very sharp pair of scissors, and left Jane dangling for her life.

Maura was the key. And when Jane felt she was going to lose her, things got ugly, she wished now she could take those horrible words back, what she had said to Maura in the morgue, their very first real argument. Even after apologizing, now, Jane had still felt horrible for accusing Maura of placing her personal feelings for Garrett, ahead of her work.

Jane sighed. Now, her mother was in her life, and though Jane was certain her mother could possibly be much more aggravating, it worried Jane that maybe this visit, stressing Maura out to the brink of exhaustion, should be worrying her just as much.

-x-

Maura awoke, but as her eyelids fluttered open at the evening sun shining in her face, she began to recollect there were no windows, save for the small fire exit, in her bedroom at home.

Shooting up with a gasp, Maura immediately recognized the old downy handmade quilts, the plush carpet of the room and the aged mahogany dresser staring back at her.

"Oh. My. God." Maura was home.


	3. Mamma Mia!

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author:** LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine… but oh, I wish they were!

**Review:** Yes, please, you get the hint, I'm no starving artist but please remember to FEED THE BARD, especially if you expect more chapters ;) heh heh heh.

**A/N: **So I totally wigged out when I realized that last chapter I did not remember to put a HUGE shout out of thank you's to all of you who have reviewed to me so far, especially my dear friend Gentry whom, looking back, has probably read and reviewed every chap of all my stories to date, lol. So thank you, thank you, THANK you! I hope to keep pleasing you all, and now… READ ON!

-3-

There were many things that Margaret Isles considered herself to be; a doting wife, a charitable heart to many fundraisers, a devout Catholic, an honorary member to the Manhattan Ladies Bridge Club, and most of all, a loving mother…

"MOTHER!" Maura's voice carried all the way from the fourth floor in an enraged shriek of protest as the thirty-year-old strode downstairs, more furious than ever before, barging into the bright, quiet study that, over the years, had become Margaret's personal gala and garden.

Sighing over her cup of Oolong tea, Margaret Isles glanced up at her only daughter, not in the least bit surprised at her sudden outburst.

"Have the years that you've spent in that dreadful city completely wiped you clean of all your manners, child?" Margaret set her cup down on the table and jotted down another memory in her notebook that she kept all of her personal appointments and thoughts in.

Clad in her "house clothes," consisting of a comfortable navy sweater and white Capri's and slippers, her graying blonde hair was worn down with a simple broach pinning her bangs back fashionably behind her right ear.

"Out of all the ways that we could have handled this, you chose _this_?" Maura snapped. "Honestly, Mother, I would have believed even _you _would have more dignity to just confront me like a grown woman, and not resort to kidnapping me!"

"Is that what you are calling it?" Margaret questioned, raising a perfectly arched brow, her thin mouth lifting up in what Maura would only know was a bemused smirk, instead of a sneer.

"You come to Boston, harass my co-workers, argue with my best friend, send me into a fit of panic and then I wake up to find that I am nearly five hundred some odd miles away in upstate New York, in my parents' home, I have no _clue_ what day it is, which means that this wrinkled dress I am wearing has been on me for goodness knows how long, the disposition of grease buildup in my hair and my body odor tells me I've been asleep for at least a day-"

Margaret rolled her eyes as her daughter began referring back to her science as she spoke in languages that only she could understand.

"Maura, please, calm yourself down," Margaret pleaded. "Secondly, before you run off at the mouth again, you should remember who you are speaking to when you presume that you have, in any way, been _kidnapped._"

Maura, still quite blissfully angry, grew quiet under her mother's stern gaze and words, feeling as if she was suddenly transported back into her teens, when she would be home for summer break from boarding school, and she would say or do something out of place in her mothers' eyes and furthermore earn a strict lecture…

…_Always remember that you are constantly being watched and listened to, Maura..._

…_You are an heiress to a wealthy family, and must always present yourself in that manner… _

…_Do not ever let someone else make you feel less inferior than they…_

…_Appearances, manners and etiquette are everything, Maura, remember that, always, even if you do _

_not like the person, you must put up with them or become royally shunned in all aspects…_

"Maura, are you listening?" Margaret chided. Maura blinked, brought back into the present. "There you are, now as I was saying, you have not been kidnapped, you have merely been brought here, without any other reason than to finally let me have your attention, I will have no more of this screening calls game, and avoiding my letters and voicemails…"

Maura fought the urge to blush, she could never lie, and it was thanks to this woman who she most definitely had the hardest time hiding anything from, her mother was the epitome of the human lie detector.

"Now you are welcome to leave us at any time, but I would sincerely object to it, if you did," Margaret continued her voice dropping into deeper severity. "As my only daughter, I cannot just sit back and ignore the fact that you are the only one left in our long line of Isles' to inherit the estate, and what with your fathers failing health…"

Margaret paused at this, and covered her hand over her mouth, to try and push forward the onslaught of heavy emotion. Maura fought the urge to roll her eyes at her mother's weak display of pain, she may have been a bloodhound when it came to detecting a fib, but an actress, Margaret was not.

"Mother, please, I understand what you are saying; I am not a child-"

"Then it is time that you stopped acting like one!" Margaret snapped, her eyes narrowing into steely slits of anger as Maura recoiled from the verbal attack. "Your father and I have always given you everything you would ever need, money, a home, a brilliant education, and when you started seeing that Fairfield boy and you asked for your space to move away from home, we-"

"You mean Fath-"

"Do not interrupt me, again, Maura Elizabeth," Margaret bristled. "_We,_ meaning your father _and_ I allowed you to move to Boston, where you pursued your career, even though I will never understand what it is you find _so_ fascinating about playing with dead people!"

Maura waited patiently for her mother to finish, wincing outwardly at the reminder of her relationship with Garrett, no doubt her mother already heard all the news about how he was linked to the murder of Adam and she was certain that Margaret would not hesitate to rub that fact in her face, if she needed the ammo. So Maura, being wise, kept her mouth shut and dared not tempt her again.

"This brings me to the most important topic of our discussion…" Margaret took a moment and inhaled deeply, Maura waited. "Your fathers' illness will not be going into remission; the doctors have already decreed that he probably won't even make it to see his seventy-fifth birthday."

_Which was next month_, Maura calculated.

"And let's not rub it in, but I must face the fact that I am not getting any younger, and I don't think that the fountain of youth or immortality will ever come along before my time is up," Margaret stated simply, shrugging. "So, my darling, it is time for you to step up and take your place... as the daughter of myself and Richard Isles, you need to prepare yourself to handle the properties of the Isles estate, and that includes all the fundraisers, business charities and galas that we are responsible for, that keeps us in the position we are currently in."

Maura's jaw unhinged, but she quickly snapped it shut. Her eyes widening, she felt her heart skip a beat, her mothers' stern gaze told her this was no joking matter.

"Mother.. I- what is it that I can do? I mean what? Do you expect me to just leave Boston? Leave my job? I'm the Chief Medical Examiner, a position that I have worked _extremely_ hard for, and I take pride in my work-"

"Maura, you have known since a young age that nothing in this world can be brought about without sacrifice, it's a simple fact of life," Margaret repeated herself in the same stony voice as she had earlier. Maura stood, frozen, her limbs went numb, and she could feel her knees go weak in and her hands shaking slightly in the shock and realization that she may not have any means of an out to this.

"But my home... my friends, my _life_, that is all in Boston!" Maura argued. "I cannot just up and leave! You- you brought me here, and you expect me to just be okay with dropping everything I've worked for my entire life-" she paused as Margaret let out a distant, cold hearty laugh.

"_Worked?_" she chuckled. "Maura I do not believe before you went to Massachusetts, that you _ever_ worked a day in your life! You had everything! We _gave_ you everything, we never asked for anything in return and now we ask for you to step up and be the woman we have always wished for you to be… and you cannot even simply do _that_ for us?" Margaret asked, brazenly.

"Mother-!"

Before Maura could protest, the door to the study was intruded once more with a soft clearing of the throat and a knock. Maura flipped around, ready to royally reprimand any that dare interrupt her conversation at the moment, until she realized who was standing at the door…

"Pardon moa," a young man interrupted with a husky, low southern drawl, unlike any of the voices that Maura was used to, his was quite unique, but still oh so familiar. Her eyes widened. "Uncle Isles wants to speak wit' Maura."

"Remy?" Maura's eyes widened at the grown young man who stood before her, wearing an expensive set of black slacks and a white-collar button down shirt, a black tie dangled haphazardly around his neck, his shaggy brown hair stuck out in every which direction, untidy, but fashionable, he was clean shaven, save for his sideburns and a small stubble under his chin, his jeweled blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief at the sight of Maura.

He tipped his head in a small bow, and gave her a crooked smile.

"Noon, 'chere," he greeted; his velvety southern drawl turning into a Cajun informality brought a smile to Maura's face.

She reached forward and hugged her cousin, enthusiastically, letting out a small squeal of laughter when he reacted just as enthused by lifting her up in his strong hold and twirling her around in the embrace.

"Been a long time, 'chere," he grinned, saucily.

"I didn't know that you were back in town! Whatever happened to that restaurant you had in Baton Rouge that I was supposed to come and visit this summer?" Maura implied, teasingly.

Remy Everett was Maura's cousin, about four years her junior, he was the only other family she'd ever had outside of her adopted parents. He had been the only child of Margaret's only sister, June, and her husband, Jack, both of whom died in a horrible car accident when Remy was twelve. Maura had been in boarding school during the incident and only found out when she returned home for her sixteenth birthday to find Remy had been moved in permanently as Margaret and the Isles' were his only family left.

For the most part, Remy was every bit the rebel that Maura had wished she could have been as a kid, Remy was reckless and fun-loving, always good at throwing a good party, by the time he, himself was sixteen, Remy had had enough of the upper-class life and had run back off to live with an acquaintance in New Orleans where he completed High school and went on to work in the deep Southern kitchens of Louisiana.

Remy's one true love, next to any beautiful woman, was food, and Maura regaled all the summers that she would come home to find Remy toying around in the kitchen with the chefs' and often helping out while Maura would pretend to sit and read a book, and scold Remy for not obeying her parents' rules, but would secretly admire his passion for the culinary skills.

Remy adored his only cousin, and had more than once given her enough motivation and welcome to join him in Louisiana where she could have taught at LSU or found a job as an M.E. there, but the South just never did cut it for Maura other than her less-than-frequent trips she would make to visit him.

"Aw, i's still runnin' good, 'chere! I gots Bobby runnin' t'ings righ' now while I'm here helpin' Aunt 'n Uncle," Remy smirked.

"Wonderful, I still have a plane ticket prepared for July, so I will come visit you then if you're sure you won't be too busy," Maura smiled.

"Naw, never too busy for m'favorite cuz'!" Remy smiled, brightly.

"While I'd hate to break up this beautiful reunion, Maura, I do believe your father is wishing to speak to us," Margaret broke the spell of the two close cousins.

"Naw, Auntie, Uncle says he just wants ta see Maura," Maura couldn't help but smile, she watched how her mother would stiffen at Remy's broken English, another trait that Maura adored about her only cousin, he had been born and bred in Louisiana, and despite spending four or so years in upstate New York, he never could quite shake that Cajun descent.

"There is nothing that my husband cannot say to Maura that he cannot say in front of me," Margaret scolded them.

"Mother, really, it is only a conversation, it's not as if I am planning to plot against you with Father," Maura stated, calmly. "I will be in and out in a while."

"Yeah, Auntie, sit back, relax, I'll bring you some more tea, neh?" Remy smiled his crooked smile, and Maura was certain that if it would get him to shut up, Margaret would agree to just about anything.

"Fine, Maura, you will come right back to me after you've spoken with him, our conversation is _far_ from over," Margaret whipped around and took her seat back in the study.

"Yes, Mother," Maura sighed.

"Well then, follow me, 'chere!" Remy grasped Maura's arm and began to tug, dragging her along effortlessly to the other wing of the Isles' estate. Maura feeling her heart pound harder with every step closer she took to facing her father for the first time in nearly three years.

* * *

**AN:** Ayaya! Well Mother Dearest certainly is a b!#$ isnt she? next chapter, we meet the father, and we go back to Jane discovering that Maura is not in town. :) review and ye shall recieve!


	4. Daddy Dearest

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is Jane and Maura to wake up and realize they're made for each other… in the meantime, TNT and Tess Gerritsen own them, not me!

**Review: **Yes, please! :) You guys have been more than awesome so far!

**A/N:** Let's see what trouble we can find today, shall we? :) Read on and enjoy!

-4-

Jane walked into the bullpen a little more aggravated than usual, not only had her morning started off wonderful with her mother's rude wake-up call that she was stuck in her car in downtown metro traffic, and needed a lift, then getting coffee only to realize they got her order wrong again, before a bicyclist swerved past her on the sidewalk, causing her to lose her footing and spill the latte down her shirt…

If Frost and Korsak knew any wiser about Jane's moods, they made no mention of it as they continued working the new case of the murdered little boy they'd found two nights ago.

"Mornin' Jane," Korsak offered. "You bring anyone else coffee?" he couldn't resist as she unlocked her footlocker and pulled out a clean dark shirt. If looks could kill, he was certain he'd be dead three times over by now as Jane shot daggers at his wisecrack.

"Everything okay, Rizzoli?" Frost asked, concerned for his partner.

"Peachy, I'm going down to the morgue," before Frost or Korsak could call out after her, she was already out the door.

"Should we have told her?" Korsak asked Frost, as he scanned over a profile.

"One, I'd rather not be on the receiving end of what's about to happen, two, I'm pretty certain she'll find out in about -"

"_**She's WHAT?**_" Jane's voice could be heard loudly over the entire Boston police department.

"Now," Frost finished his sentence.

"Hey guys, what was that high-pitched yell?" Frankie walked into the department, carrying a cup of joe for himself and one for his sister, figuring she may need it after hearing about her wake-up call from their obtrusive mother.

"Maura hasn't been seen nor heard from since her mother showed up at the department three days ago," Korsak explained.

"And Jane just found out," Frost stated.

"Oh boy," Frankie was fully expecting it when Jane burst back through the doors of the bullpen, strangling a periwinkle stained t-shirt, fire in her eyes and a brisk in her walk as she stormed over to the desk.

"Mornin' sis-" Frankie responded, handing a cup of coffee to his big sister.

"Not right now, Frankie, thanks," Jane turned to Frost. "Was nobody going to mention to me that Maura has been MIA since Friday morning?"

"Jane, we thought you would have known, you two are closer than we are, besides, maybe she's just taking a sick day, she hasn't been looking well lately," Frost calmly reasoned.

"Whatever, I'm going to check on her, I have my cell," Jane stated.

"I'll come with you," Frankie stated. Jane blinked. "What? I care about Maura, too, besides my shift doesn't start 'til this afternoon but I figured I would bring you coffee as a means to apologize for letting you deal with Ma, since I turned my phone off when she called me-" he grinned, sheepishly.

"Fair enough," Jane snatched the coffee from his hands. "But this doesn't get you off the hook," she growled, pushing past him and her partner to stride out of the bullpen. Frankie made a grimace toward Frost, who nodded with a "watch your six" look, before Frankie took off after her.

-x-

Maura slid the double mahogany sliding doors closed behind her, Remy waiting outside patiently, having offered to watch out and make certain that Margaret not interfere. However, as Maura turned around, the sight before her shook her to the core.

The man in the hospice bed surely could not be the strong-willed, charming and handsome, kind-hearted father she had always known. Several machines beeped and whirred, a tangled mess connected into the frail, broken body lying in front of her.

Her father was much thinner than she remembered him; the cancer having eaten at his body to the point of leaving nothing, his skin was chalky and pale, save for the dark circles that rimmed his sunken eyes. His beautiful mane of dark hair was nonexistent, she knew despite the gray beanie cap that covered his head, his mouth hung open, dry and cracked, wheezing in attempts to breathe a little easier, even with the oxygen tube hanging under his nose.

"Oh, Daddy…" Maura's eyes glistened, stinging as painful as her heartstrings being torn the closer she drew to his side. By the time she was at the bed, her knees had given out on her, and she collapsed into a nearby chair, covering her mouth with one hand.

Richard Isles didn't have a mean bone in his body, he was a logical man, a thinking man, a kind man who had given Maura the whole world, and never asked for anything in return. He had never laid a hand on Maura in anger, or in spite, he had always been on her side, even the one time she had been wrong, he never missed a single event of her life, her ballet rehearsals, her fencing lessons, her High school, college and Medical school graduations.

She looked over at his nightstand that was littered with many medicine bottles, an alarm clock, a lamp and a photo of herself as a little girl, dressed up in a beautiful summer dress, standing on her fathers' feet, his large, gentle hands holding her smaller ones as they danced around in the ballroom at her sixth birthday party.

It was the most memorable moment of her life, one she would never forget how much her father loved her, despite having sent her to boarding school in France, despite having missed out on many years of her teenage life, despite it all, he made up for it with his actions, his kind words, his support. Never did Maura consider his money as a means of trying to buy her affections; he respected her as a woman and as a scientist.

"Maura…" Maura snapped back to reality in an instant at the scratchy, yet soothing voice of her father. His eyes were open, their once crystal clarity, were now a glazed-over milky blue as he strained to focus on his daughter. "My.. Maura…" he breathed.

"I'm here, Daddy," Maura reached over, hesitating only for a moment, before taking his hand, feeling the rough patches of skin under her fingers where she knew his calluses once were. "I'm here."

"So glad.. you made it…" his lips turned up, slowly and as he winced, she realized it pained him even to smile.

"I'm here, I'm so sorry it took me so long- please… forgive me," Maura's throat lodged up. She had been so selfish, thinking of her own feelings, realizing that she had avoided coming home to see her father, in fear of dealing with her mother, and what was worse, she didn't _want_ to see her father this way, so broken and ill, with no way of making him better… She didn't want to remember him this way.

"I love… you," he spoke gently, but firmly, and Maura could feel that he tried to squeeze her hand but it was barely feasible so instead she gave it a slight, gentle grip and smiled brokenly, a tear escaping her eye, she struggled to intake air as she sniffled.

"I love you, too," Maura replied, watching her fathers' eyes close once more; he wheezed and coughed once, twice, a sickening sound, she could hear the fluid buildup in his lungs where a slight pneumonia had formed.

She hated this feeling of powerlessness. She had gone through many years of intense medical training and never in this moment had those paper documents felt so useless to her. She could not relieve her father's pain, she could not lie and tell him everything would be fine, that he would fight this, make it through and be back to smoking his fancy cigars and drinking pinot noir again in no time. She could only sit and watch the horrid disease slowly drain the life from her father like a leech.

Maura felt the tears flow harder and faster, she sucked her bottom lip in to try and stifle the whimpers as she fell forward and used the blankets to muffle her sobs as the cold, harsh reality hit her like a two by four to her stomach. She felt herself grow dizzy, unable to breathe as she struggled to keep her heart under control.

Her father… no, scratch that thought, _nobody_ deserved this fate, she cried for her father because no one else would, she cried for him because he could no longer cry, he couldn't find the strength to be angry, to be upset with the disease that was making what little life he had left, miserable. She didn't know how long she stayed that way, hunched over her father's bed crying, she wished that she could just crawl into bed beside him and cry, feeling every bit the scared little girl she had once been when she had studied the flesh-eating disease.

Darkness fell on the room as the sun passed over the horizon, Maura did not notice, however, thinking only of how horrible of a daughter she had been, ignoring her fathers' pain to save herself from the same, she should be the one laying here, not him… But she would never think or speak that aloud again, knowing he would give his life up to ensure her happiness any day. Soon the emotions and worries grew to be too much and Maura's weariness drifted her into an uncomfortable slumber.

-x-

"Janie, be reasonable, Maura's probably out at the store getting something to feel better…" Frankie said as he wandered aimlessly lost around Maura's spacious home, having never been to the M.E.'s place, himself, he was in awe of her flawless and spotless kitchen.

They had used Jane's spare key that Maura had made for her last winter when Maura had fallen ill with the flu and could hardly get out of bed, let alone get a glass of water or make a bowl of soup. Frankie waited impatiently as his sister walked up and down throughout the home, familiar with the entire house, swearing up and down that something wasn't right.

"Maura would have called me," Jane kept muttering as she looked around for any evidence of the woman having been home in the past few hours. There was a bowl in the sink from having eaten oatmeal or some other breakfast grain cereal, the lamp in the living room that helped to illuminate the foyer in the front door, was left on, and there were no indications of clothes or other missing objects.

"It doesn't look as if Maura packed anything for a trip," Jane sighed, beginning to feel defeat, and a little bit of hostility toward her best friend who had been out of reach. Jane tried reaching her through her cell, but it went directly to voicemail, meaning it was either cut off, or the battery dead.

"Told you," Frankie murmured, but regretted it when Jane punched his arm, and none-too-lightly either. "Ow, c'mon, Janie, just give it up, Maura doesn't have to tell you everything about her life, if she isn't feeling well she probably just wants to be left alone, I mean I don't think I've ever seen the woman without makeup, why would she want you to see her with snot running down her nose?"

"I helped care for her when she was sick with the flu- Bass!"

"Bass Flu? Is that some new strain of the Swine Flu?" Frankie asked. But Jane held a trained eye behind him, he turned and jumped at the sight of a large rock that sat in the middle of the kitchen floor that hadn't been there two minutes ago.

"What the _Hell _is that?" Frankie shouted, reaching for his sidearm.

"Hush, Frankie, you'll scare him!"

"That thing is _alive?_" Frankie asked, beseechingly. Jane smirked at the familiar confrontation between her and Maura that had been very similar the first time she had met Maura's pet.

"Yes, he's alive, Frankie, he's Maura's pet tur- _tortoise_," she corrected herself, mentally channeling Maura's upset response to anyone who dared call her pet a turtle. _Eh,_ Jane thought _tomato, toh-matoh, same thing_. She grinned and knelt down to pet the shell of the tortoise gently.

Bass, the tortoise, looked out and up from his shell toward Jane and Frankie, his amber eyes blinking in recognition of Jane. Jane looked up from Bass toward the end of the kitchen counter behind him where she knew his bowl sat. She was shocked to see that both his water and food were empty. That's when it clicked in her head.

"He's got no food or water-" Jane stated, just barely over a whisper that Frankie made out.

"So? He probably ate it all, I mean- look at the size of that thing!" Frankie said, still in shock by the tortoise.

"Maura told me that they eat almost eight to nine meals a day, she never leaves his food or water empty-"

"Maybe he ate it and she hasn't gotten back to fill it up-"

"No, this water bowl looks like it hasn't seen water in at least a day-" Jane said, picking up the bowl and examining the silver ring.

"Janie-"

"I'm _telling_ you, Frankie, something isn't right! Maura never forgets-"

Before Frankie could cut her off, the phone ringing across the living way stopped both Rizzoli's in their thoughts. Jane hesitated to answer, but before she could pick up the receiver, the machine took it instead.

"_You've reached Dr. Maura Isles, sorry I missed your call but you can try to reach me at my office at 555-3140 or my cell 312-3100, have a nice day…BEEP_"

"Hi Maura, this is Stacy from Felix Dental, we're calling to inform you that you missed your appointment at 1:30 yesterday afternoon, and we haven't had any phone calls or messages to tell us that you planned to cancel, so your insurance will unfortunately, still be charged, if you can, please call us back to reschedule, thanks and have a great day! _CLICK_"

Jane stared at the machine, replaying the message once, twice, three times over in her head, before she looked over at her brother.

"What?" Frankie asked, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"You wanna be a detective, right?" Jane tossed him a pair of gloves. "Start investigating…"

* * *

**AN: **Thank you guys for being so awesome with your patience and wonderful reviews, please dont stop because im on a roll and id hate to have to hold back for a lil love :) YAY rizzles will be here soon enuff


	5. Yesterday's Gone

**Title:**_ Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, but I'm hoping Santa will manage to fit Jane Rizzoli under my tree this year :)

**Review: **Yes, please, and flames will be used to roast chestnuts while I sing Christmas carols! :)

**A/N:** You all have been SO flipping fantastic with your reviews, many of whom I couldn't help but review you back, so here is chapter FIVE, and I promise, fans, that RIZZLES is getting there, but I love a good suspense before the cliché, so READ on and please… FEED THE BARD!

-5-

Jane knew that she was going to have to apologize sincerely to Maura for nearly tearing her entire house apart in hopes of finding something… anything to prove she was right, Frankie had helped her move furniture, clothes (to exclude her underwear drawer), high cabinets, the stove, fridge, pantries, but even after two or more hours of wandering around aimlessly, and without proper cause, Jane had not come any closer to discovering Maura's whereabouts.

"She would have come home by now, even if she had just left for the store before we got here," Jane rationalized in her mind.

"Janie, didn't Frost say that Maura's mother came to visit?" Frankie asked, plopping down on the couch after getting it back in its correct corner.

"Yeah," Jane recalled. "And I thought _our_ Ma was bad, this woman was a piece of work, Frankie, let me tell ya…" she plopped down beside him and caught a glimpse of a framed photo of herself and Maura from her own thirtieth birthday party celebration at the Dirty Robber that made Jane smile. She remembered all too well how drunk she had been that night and how Maura wound up having to take her home, she stayed right by her side though, and held her hair while the contents of her stomach were emptied.

Maura never complained, nor did she bother with Jane's apology the next day when Maura had given her plenty of water, aspirin and laid in bed with her to watch old Monty Python movies with her. Jane was lucky to have a friend like her. _A friend…_ Jane's heart stung at the term, she had known for a long time that Maura meant so much more to her than just a friend… But even she knew that there was no way Maura would ever be interested in someone like her, _especially _after the Fairfield case.

"What was her mother like? I mean, do you even know her parents?" Frankie asked. Jane buzzed back to reality.

"No, not really," Jane recalled. "Maura's distant with her parents, I mean, she _was_ adopted, I do know that much, she's an only child, and other than knowing that they're both richer than God and Maura's father isn't exactly healthy, I don't know anything else.."

"What?" Frankie sat up a little straighter.

"What, what?" Jane quipped, confused.

"You said her Dad was sick?" Frankie asked, incredulously. Jane nodded.

"That's what her Mom was saying, she had said something about being surprised Maura never mentioned anything to me about them… but I guess he must be- Holy shit…" Realization dawned on her like the bag of bricks that Mrs. Isles had thrown into her gut.

"Well, now we know," Frankie clapped his hands down on his knees. "Find Maura's parent's. Find Maura."

-x-

Maura spent the next day and a half tending to her father, her Mother would pop her head in every now and then, trying to be obtrusive and make Maura recall their own forgotten conversation, when Remy would swoop in and find some lame excuse to drag her away, for which Maura was grateful.

"Your mother… never could handle- how much I cared.. for you," Richard teased, half-heartedly that afternoon as Maura busied herself with making his room look nice and neat, despite having hired help to clean, she couldn't stand just sitting down for hours on end.

"I suppose she didn't like the attention being pointed somewhere other than her," Maura teased back. She loved her mother, no doubt, but often times, she and Richard would go on about the jealous tendencies Margaret Isles would display when she was not the one who was being attended to every second of every day.

"She… loves you, as mu-much as me…" he wheezed, and then coughed, sickening gurgled noises escaped his throat, Maura rushed to his side and helped him lean over the bed where a trash bin sat as he hacked up more liquid from his lungs.

"You have to be careful with your mannerisms, Daddy, you aren't strong enough-"

"Bollocks," Maura was cut off by her fathers' interruption. "I-I'm not dead… yet," he wheezed, Maura wiped his chin and mouth and reached in the small bowl of ice chips to rub over his lips and let him suck on for moisture, he couldn't drink anything, nothing would stay down, hence, an extra line of liquid diet was surged into his veins.

Despite the teasing manner her father wished for, Maura's eyes fell and her smile broke into a frown. Her eyes began to sting with what she knew was still very much a cold reality.

"I hate this-" Maura whimpered, sounding every bit the little girl that Richard remembered her to be. Richard focused on his daughter, her soft cries, and wished only that he had the strength to take her in his arms and hold her like he could as a baby. "You're in pain, and I-I can't _help_ you…"

"Maura, enough," Richard coughed. Maura looked up at her father, whose eyes were stern and for a moment she could see that brazen younger man in him, fighting to say what he desperately needed for her to hear.

"You-" he found the ability to lift his hand and let it thump back down onto Maura's, resting in her lap. "Don't.. feel sorry- for me," he wheezed. "Don't you… dare feel- sorry."

"Daddy…" she sighed.

"I'm an old… man-" he breathed. "Nobody lives.. forever, Maura- you know.. you _understand_ that.. better than anyone. I know… I ra-raised you," he let a chuckle out and it turned into a cough. Maura squeezed his hands, wishing she could help take away his pain.

"Dying.. is inevitable… so _live_, Maura- live for today… if you- go through life… expecting tom-tomorrow… you'll never learn how to _live_ for today… and then- you'll be in my- position… and not be able to say… I have no _regrets,_" he wheezed, and let his head fall back onto his pillow, where he coughed for a few more minutes and then his chest began to rise and fall, evenly, as the exhaustion took over and he slumbered.

Maura, shaken by his words, sat there, watching her father. She knew that death was inevitable, she worked around it every single day, but as she began to re-listen to her father's comments in her mind, she discovered that nothing, no amount of training or strength of dealing with the deceased, or their forgotten loved ones who are left behind, could have prepared her to _be_ one of those left behind. Things were different, she was different…

Maura tried to think, if she did die tomorrow, would she have regrets? Surely she would have little to leave behind other than her job, her home, her Mother, God forbid and Bass…

_Jane._

Maura blinked, her heart rate spiked for a moment at the mere thought of what it would be like to be apart from Jane. Though technically she had honestly not given Jane too much thought since her arrival at home, she now wondered what the hot-tempered brunette was up to.

Did Jane even realize she wasn't at work? She felt a pang of hurt in her gut at the thought, she would hope that Jane would have noticed, that maybe Jane was missing her just as much as she was missing Jane right now…

She looked at her father, and tried to imagine what she would do if it were Jane lying before her, and her entire body shook in the realization of Jane growing ill, or being hurt on the job, she was a cop, after all, and her job did entail the daily risk of injury or worse.

Maura recalled the case involving Charles Hoyt, the Surgeon, as he was properly nicknamed for his skills with a scalpel. She remembered that she had only just met Jane a month or two prior to the incident where Jane had gone in without backup and had wound up nearly becoming a victim of Hoyt, herself. Jane had been rescued by her former partner, Vince Korsak, and rushed to the ER for immediate surgery to her hands after having scalpels driven through them both to pin her to the ground.

Maura shivered, and she remembered Jane in the hospital as she came to see her shortly after the investigation began to wind down now that Hoyt was in jail and awaiting trial, she went in and remembered that she had never seen Jane so broken as to when she saw her that day.

Angela, Frank Sr. and Frankie Rizzoli were all in the room, along with Korsak, whom had sat in a corner of the room, not speaking, just watching Jane, who refused to meet his eye. He kept a trained eye on her and did not move to greet or return a greeting to anyone who did him so. Maura could still see her face…

"_Ma, please, you're gonna worry yourself into a heart attack, I'm just fine-"_

"_You are NOT fine, Jane Angela Rizzoli! You were pinned down with scalpels and nearly raped and tortured to death by a psychopath! Oh, my baby-" Angela wept. _

_Frank tried to calm his hysterical wife down, but even from her spot in the doorway, Maura could see the pain in Frank's eyes at what his wife's words meant, how close he had come to losing his only daughter._

_Frankie sat vigilantly by Jane's side, and from what Maura could see, Jane wasn't allowing anyone near as close as Frankie, if he even tried to touch her in kindness, she would jerk away. So instead, he sat, like a guard dog in many ways, and ensured everyone respected Jane's space._

"_Ma-" Jane pled with her mother, Maura saw the hurt and fear still strong in those bright brown eyes. She could tell that Jane was hanging on by a thread. Without a word or reason, Korsak left the room, and Frank managed to talk Angela into following him as well._

"_C'mon, some rest will do us both good, Angie," Frank stated, bowing his head politely to Maura as he left._

_Maura turned after they closed the door behind them, back to Frankie and Jane._

"_Hello, Jane, Frankie," Maura greeted, giving as best a smile as she could, but it was more than obvious her discomfort around people, live ones._

_Maura had been astonished, really, by her immediate attraction to Jane's persona, and she still had yet, at that time, to figure out what it was about her, that made Maura feel comfortable enough to be herself and not shy away like she normally had throughout her life when people tried to be her friend._

_Maura and Jane were polar opposites, it was just a fact, where Jane was short-tempered and passionate, Maura was collected, calm and graceful. Jane had street smarts as opposed to Maura's Medical degrees. Jane's family was loud, rambunctious, but supportive, Maura's well… was not. Jane was funny, sensitive, caring, and often times, completely frustrating and just plain illogical._

_A puzzle that Maura seemed to have trouble piecing together, but oh, how she loved to figure things out on her own._

"_Maura," Frankie stood, out of respect, and smiled. "I gotta run to the boys room, you want anything to eat?" he offered to Jane._

"_Real food," Jane smirked. But Maura, even in the short time she'd known the Detective, could sense that her mask was breaking slowly and Jane was fighting for control of her own emotions, her eyes shone with unshed tears that she blinked rapidly to hide from her brother._

"_Gotcha, be back soon," he leaned down to kiss Jane's forehead gently. Maura did not miss the small wince and how quickly Jane shifted away from him as he straightened. If he noticed, he said nothing, but walked out of the room with a final nod at Maura._

_Frankie left and suddenly she was alone with Jane. Jane stared at her for a moment, and then gave her the most beautiful crooked smile Maura could ever imagine._

"_I don't bite, ya know," she offered. "Unless you ask me to, of course." _

_Maura smiled, sadly, and moved closer to the bed. Taking a seat where Frankie had previously sat, she was careful about Jane's comfort zone, understanding that she needed her space and tried not to cross over any boundaries._

_Normally, Maura would never be so cautious, but Jane mattered to her. As much as it was difficult to admit, after spending so many years avoiding other humans, Maura wanted… no needed to have Jane's approval, craved it. Her attention made Maura feel wanted, needed, and whenever Jane was near, Maura felt like she had a real family, like someone really did care for her._

"_How are your hands feeling?" Maura inquired, studying them with her eyes. Jane hesitated, but lifted the bandaged appendages up and forward toward Maura for her to inspect. Maura reached out, keeping a wary eye on Jane's facial structure, and touched Jane's left hand, she slowly began to unravel the dressing and could not be sure if it was she, or Jane, who let out the gasp when they stared at the scar on Jane's palm, a long, thin scar, about a half-inch in length, mirrored it from the other side of her hand over her bruised knuckles._

_The scars were red, aggravated from where the doctors must have dug around to repair the damaged nerves inside her hands._

"_Jane," Maura sighed, tracing her finger over the inside of Jane's palm, soft, tenderly, so as to not hinder or cause Jane any physical pain. She stopped when she heard a hiss of air intake. She looked up to see Jane's face, and her heart broke for the woman sitting in the bed, her mask was thrown to the wind, her face covered in tears that streaked down from her eyes in large welts, she was chewing on her bottom lip in order to stifle her whimpers of pain._

"_Oh, Jane," Maura, unsure of what to do, did what came most naturally to her. She replaced the bandages on Jane's hand and then moved up and crawled onto the hospital bed, well aware that she may be thrown out for breaking a rule, but as soon as she was re-thinking her decision, she was no longer able to move as Jane immediately curled up into Maura's side, and Maura was pulled in by two strong arms that clung to her like a frightened child._

_Jane cried, for an hour, two, just sobbing uncontrollably into Maura's neck and chest. Maura visibly relaxed and rubbed Jane's back, she hushed her and whispered in her ear for a short while, combing her fingers through Jane's hair, which seemed to do the trick of immediately relaxing Jane, whose breathing began to even out and soon, the brunette was fast asleep, but she still clung to Maura, terrified of letting go, even in her subconscious state._

_Maura waited it out, allowing Jane to seek comfort, any way she could give it. Maura's heart melted at the realization that Jane felt comfortable enough around her to really let her guard down and cry. _

'_Even the brave depend on someone,' Maura mused, and continued to watch over Jane in her sleep, content to just be, in that very moment_.

-x-

A hesitant knock on the door to the room made Maura stir from her musings. She sighed as she stood, but the door began to open before she even reached it.

"Mother, please, father just fell asle-" she stopped at the sight of her cousin, grinning sheepishly in the doorway.

"Sorry to bother ya, cuz'," Remy apologized, sheepishly. "But I t'ink its best yeh head downstairs, before Auntie has to call t'e authorities."

"What?" Maura gasped. "What's going on, Remy?"

"Someone's here ta see yeh," Remy smirked as Maura followed Remy toward the stairwell where they both looked over the railing. Even before they reached it, Maura's ears had picked up bits of her mothers' obnoxious shouting and verbal abuse of the English language.

It's when the arguing voice that shouted back, sounded, she stopped. Heart in her throat, Maura's eyes widened, amazed as she turned the corner and looked down to see what she dared hope was no dream.

"She's a spitfire, neh cuz?" Remy grinned, watching the debacle between his Aunt and the beautiful newcomer...

"You are lucky I don't have you hauled off by the authorities for trespassing!" Margaret Isles shouted, very unorthodox.

"Me? _You_ should be lucky I don't haul your fancy ass off myself, for _kidnapping_!" Jane Rizzoli shouted right back.

She was dressed informally in a pair of old blue jeans and a long-sleeve dark grey shirt, badge nowhere in sight, her wild mane of dark hair was pulled back into an unruly ponytail, her eyes were flashing with anger, and Maura had never felt so relieved in her life to see the beautiful brunette.

Jane and Margaret continued their shouting match, Maura ignored it over the pounding of her own heart, rushing through her ears. She moved forward, unblinking, worried that the slightest movement that took her eyes off of Jane would mean she'd disappear.

She descended the stairs, her pace quickening, and it wasn't until right before Margaret was about to further insult Jane, that Jane could feel, rather than hear someone approaching, and turned around in time to catch the stunned blonde in her arms.

Maura, just as astonished to realize that she was _really_ hugging Jane, that Jane's warm body was pressing into hers, that her strong arms and gentle hands were honestly surrounding her back, that she was indeed inhaling the sweet scent of sandalwood and vanilla, did her lungs finally realize their need for air.

Maura let out the breath she'd held and inhaled sharply at Jane's husky voice in her ear.

"Maura, thank God."

"Jane," Maura replied, burying her face into Jane's warm, _real_, sweet-smelling neck, and without a second thought, collapsed from the intense joy and fear and rush, into tears.

* * *

**AN:** Yay! Together again, at last! Oh what will happen next? well i was certainly in the "giving" mood to surprise you all with this second chapter in a day thing, so please, tomorrow while im stuck at my stupid business holiday party, SURPRISE ME with some lovely reviews? :) ill catch ya round on the flip side! FEED THE BARD!


	6. It's A New Day

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Don't own 'em!

**Review: **FEED THE BARD!

**A/N:** So I have finally managed to overcome my eggnog hangover, despite only having _A_ drink at my business holiday party. And I have yet to thank everyone for leaving such kind wishes and reviews in my inbox over the course of a day! So to treat you all to my happiness, here is your next installment!

and a small ps- if i have any REAL southern gals out there, like myself who may find my perception of Remy a bit too extreme or offensive, please do not be upset with me, i spent the better part of three years of my life living in Louisiana and i am only going off of my own perceptions, no harm intended!

-6-

"Jane," Maura instantly melted into the brunette's embrace, surrounded by her strength, her comforting arms, encircling her protectively. She had not realized just how badly she missed Jane's company until that very moment, her pulse quickened and she could feel the excitement rush through her veins, as she breathed in the sandalwood and vanilla body wash that accompanied Jane's persona, she felt herself let go and didn't recognize the foreign sound of sobs coming from her own throat.

"Maura, shh, it's okay, sweetheart, I'm here," Jane crooned, rubbing Maura's back with one hand, entangling the other in Maura's soft blonde hair.

Jane's world around her seemed to disappear before her eyes, all that was, was her and Maura. The warm, soft body pressed against her front, seemed to mold perfectly against her, the soft smell of Maura's expensive Vera Wang perfume that Jane was certain cost more than her car, relaxed Jane in ways that nothing else could as she felt the blonde begin to shake uncontrollably with sobs, her heart broke and her demeanor stiffened as she tried to imagine what it was that could have upset her best friend so.

"Maura, what's wrong? What can I do?" Jane kissed the crown of Maura's head, murmuring into her skin, praying she could help her, help ease her pain, even if just a little bit.

Maura continued to cry, but her sobbing eased as she looked back, only for a moment to realize that Jane wasn't here on a professional level, she didn't even seem to be carrying her sidearm, she was here, out of pure friendship, and she had somehow managed to find Maura here, in her parents' home, in Syracuse, New York.

"Hey, I brought Bass with me, I have to admit, he's a lot better in the car than Jo," Maura couldn't help but let the soft chuckle escape her throat, Jane's eyes were warm, and kind, and shimmered with nothing but admiration and respect and something deeper as she looked to Maura. However, after a moment, Jane's usual brazen nature became suddenly shy and she lowered her gaze.

"Maura…" Jane's eyebrows knitted together. "Are you actually wearing _jeans_?"

"Maura, darling, where on _Earth_ did you find those horrid things? I thought I had one of the helpers burn all those ridiculous pants!" Margaret butted in, idly and suddenly reminded Jane and Maura that they were not alone.

Jane went back into full cop mode, swinging around, keeping a protective arm around Maura's waist as she opened her mouth to confront the elder Isles. Maura, obviously sensing exactly where Jane was headed, and knowing it would never end well when it came to her mother and being on her home turf, she silenced Jane with a hand to her stomach.

Had she not been serious, her touch would have shot back, recoiling from the abdominal muscles that twitched, then tightened under her touch, of their own will, and Jane's jaw snapped shut, her eyes grew wide and fell down to meet the gaze of the shorter woman.

"Mother, please, it's been a long day, Jane must be tired from travelling, let us discuss this later, I really wish to rest and to see my tortoise…" Maura directed the last part of her statement toward Jane, who caught on, albeit grudgingly, and nodded.

"Right, he and Joe are in the car, c'mon," Jane took Maura's hand and led her away from Margaret, who opened her mouth to protest, but Maura, in a rush to escape the fight and to see her beloved pet, rushed Jane out the door.

-x-

"I can't ever decide if you'll forgive me for abandoning you like that, Bass," Maura cooed over her pet tortoise, who sat comfortably in the corner of the plush carpet of her bedroom, where he idly snacked on fresh cut strawberries and organic lettuce, courtesy of her cousin.

"I can," Jane's voice was so low, that Maura almost didn't hear her statement. She looked up and noticed Jane resting on her four-poster canopy bed, eyes still very wide and in awe of all the beautiful things to take in. Several times on the way up to Maura's bedroom, she had to pause for Jane to stare at one painting or one statue, or another.

"Jane…" Maura sighed, her name falling off of her lips like a prayer. Jane was her savior, no doubt, and Maura would be so forever grateful for her dropping everything to come to be by her side during this time.

She had already narrowed it down to why she could not just jump in Jane's car and ride back to Boston so quickly, and though Jane seemed to have a nagging protest hanging on her lips, she had waited silent and patient for Maura to finish her story and inform her of the situation she was in.

After Maura brought up the proposal from her mother, she could all but see Jane's walls slam down around her. Jane made an excuse to go to the ladies room at that time and left Maura alone with Bass and Joe Friday before she could protest.

Maura had managed to go down to the kitchen during that time and grab some food for herself, Jane and their pets from Remy's stock and when she returned, watched as Jane stood by Maura's shelf of books, and childhood knickknacks, mesmerized.

"Is this you?" Jane asked as she picked up a photograph of Maura and Remy, it had been the summer of Maura's high school graduation from Boarding school, and Remy had been about fourteen or so, his hair was much longer then, pulled back into a ponytail, his face scruffy because he refused to shave, insisting that ladies loved the fur.

Remy had his arm around Maura, smiling brightly, his head was adorned with the golden graduation cap from Maura's attire, and Maura had a look of discomfort on her face, but was smiling nonetheless.

"Yes, that was the same day as my High school graduation, that's Remy there, he was fourteen in that photograph, the man you met earlier in the hall," Maura explained at Jane's pondered look.

"Your cousin? He has a strange accent," Jane smirked, remembering having to ask Maura exactly what Remy was saying when he was out of earshot and hoping she had not offended the young man when she just smiled and nodded.

Maura stifled a laugh but smiled.

"Cajun," she explained. "He was born and raised in Louisiana, he lived here for a short time after his parents died, he owns his own restaurant in Baton Rouge, he's very talented in the kitchen."

"Is that where you earned your own culinary skills from?" Jane asked, biting into her cold cuts sandwich. Maura smiled.

"I'm not nearly as good with recipes as he is, but I did learn the essentials, if ever you want a good meal or an ear to talk to, go to Remy's kitchen," Maura explained, sipping on her bottled water.

"I see," Jane went silent as she finished her food. She had not eaten much on the way to New York, having stopped only twice to allow Joe to go to the bathroom, once for herself and to gas up her car.

She had managed to talk Frost into hacking into the Homicide unit's personnel records, where she could find Maura's information. It was there that she discovered her parents' address, and it didn't take long for her to map it on Google, pack a few spare changes of clothes, stop by Maura's house to grab Bass and be on her way.

She could have left the tortoise and even Joe Friday with her mother, she was certain, but something told her that Maura would be a lot happier if she could physically see that Bass was doing just fine.

The silence in the room grew to be too much for Maura to bear for the time being. She was happy that Jane was here, she truly was, but now she was certain that it would only be a matter of time before she would begin to try and reason with Maura to come back to Boston, and Maura couldn't do that… not just yet.

"Where are you going?" Jane asked, it wasn't in any way accusatory or a selfish way of Jane telling her to stay, merely inquiring.

"I need to go be with my father, Jane," Maura spoke gently; she couldn't maintain eye contact, for fear she may begin to cry. "He isn't well; I don't think that he'll be with us much longer…"

"If that's the case…" Jane stood. Maura watched, her eyes widening, she didn't want for Jane to meet her father, not this way, she was certain that he would be embarrassed at such a gesture. Family was fine, but he wouldn't let a complete stranger meet him in his disposition like this for the first time.

"I'm not certain-"

"I want to take Joe out for a walk," Jane interrupted Maura. Maura's eyes moved upward and met Jane's and she felt relief and the understanding she saw swimming in them. She smiled as Jane clicked her tongue, motioning for Joe to follow her, as Jane passed she grazed Maura's arm with a touch.

"I'm here," Jane whispered. "If you need me to be." And with that, Jane was out the door, Joe hot on her heels, knowing she was about to find adventure in the large Isles' home.

Maura reached out to grasp the corner of her bed post, her head swam with forlorn affection and relief at how understanding Jane was being toward her and her disposition. It was one of the many reasons Maura loved her so much…

_Love? Do I love Jane?_ Maura mused, feeling her heart pound in her chest at the realization. _Erratic heart rates, a desire to be near her all the time, the emotional static my brain triggers within me from her touch… My God…_

Maura reasoned correctly, and the realization hit her like a true slap to the face. How had she never seen the signs before? She shook her head, she had, but she had chosen to ignore them. Now that they were there, open and running free throughout her mind, she would need to spend time, coming to terms before she could confront Jane.

Jane knew, just like Maura, that Maura was incapable of lying, and if Jane were to ever ask Maura the question of whether she was alright, or why Maura was suddenly so weird around her, Maura would not be able to hide the distinct truth that she was falling helplessly in love with her best friend.

-x-

After about five wrong turns and nearly being smacked with two separate swinging doors, Jane finally managed to find the terrace around the back of the Isles' mansion. Jane watched as Joe Friday barked playfully, bouncing around in the thick green grass. Jane knew it was unfair of her to not have a yard for Joe to play in like this, that she couldn't afford a mortgage to a nice home where she could let Joe roam around and be a real dog.

This made Jane frown, realizing where she was, whose company she was in, suddenly, Jane wondered what on Earth she had been thinking, driving to New York on a whim to rescue Maura. Not that Jane thought Maura was incapable of handling herself, but being reasonable in her own mind, Jane knew that she had freaked out, and maybe overdone herself, perhaps moving a bit too far by coming here at the drop of a hat.

But Maura had not yet shown any disinterest in her being here, nor had she complained or given any sign that Jane was unwelcome, though her mother was an entirely different story. And seeing between the two women and their completely different social statuses, Jane couldn't blame her for feeling inferior and snobbish.

Jane was just Jane. A street-smart, brightly-influenced young woman that grew up the middle of two brothers, she had spent her entire life trying to prove that she could do anything that they could do, she worked twice as hard to beat her elder brother Tommy in sports, and would relentlessly study to make certain her grades were better than Frankie's, when it came to her career choice, she busted her ass through the police academy, choosing the direct path of integrity and not sleeping with the coaches to get a decent score.

Living off of a plumbers' salary and hand-me-downs, Jane learned growing up to never expect much, and that money could never buy the happiness that a loving family could always give you. She got by, and she never let anyone, in her entire life, make her feel any less of a woman than who she truly was; a doting daughter, a loving sister, a best friend, a compassionate shoulder/ear, an intellectual cop and a damn good detective.

So what was it about people like the Fairfield's and Maura's family that made her suddenly feel like everything she'd done her entire life, was suddenly no good?

_Because you see how Maura lives, you see the things that have been given to her; she was practically born with a silver spoon in her mouth. You know you could never match those qualities, you can't buy her diamonds or expensive clothes, and don't even start thinking about those ridiculous shoes she loves to wear that costs more than three times your rent…_

Jane hadn't realized that the thought of her never being good enough for Maura, would bring her so low, as she found herself suddenly squatting into the grass, staring blankly out over the large expanse of land, watching the sun begin to set as lightning bugs began to peek out of the grass.

She smiled at the beautiful bugs that she recalled many a summer where her and her brothers would chase them down the streets of the city until they had enough to fill an entire jar for a night light. Jane remembered a six-year-old Frankie crying when he woke up the next morning to see they had all died, and from then on, would let them go shortly after catching them.

"Dem fireflies is quite the sight in the summertime's of Nawlins'," (**AN: for anyone who has never been to New Orleans, this is how they pronounce it, good luck not getting your asses kicked if a local hears you call it Nooh Or-leens**) Remy popped a squat beside Jane on the grass, loosening his tie just a bit and unbuttoning the first button of his shirt.

He chuckled as he noticed Joe Friday begin to chase the fireflies, tail wagging excitedly as she snapped at one, then another, before finally catching one; she spit it out after chewing and realizing that the taste wasn't pleasant. Jane snickered at her foolish pup.

"Maura tells me you're not from around here," Jane offered a light conversational topic, she continued to stare at Joe Friday until she realized that she wasn't receiving a response and looked over to notice Remy giving her a dumb look.

"If choo ain't figured t'at out by now, 'chere, yer in fer a rude 'wakenin if you ever head down to my neck of t'e woods," Remy spoke in a tongue that was completely foreign to Jane, she had a difficult time understanding him, but after replaying his words again, she somewhat caught the jest of what he was talking about.

"If all your people talk that way down South then I think I will be very comfortable staying exactly where I'm at," Jane smirked, hoping Remy would catch on that she was teasing.

"Oh, really? Tell me 'chere, you come from ol' money, too?" he asked, raising an inquisitive brow. Jane frowned. Immediately sensing the shift in moods, Remy continued. "No means to affend, Missus, but choo don't look like yer t'e kind ta spend yer time wit' t'e likes o' my family in der'."

"Are you telling me I'm no good for your world?" Jane fired back, defensive. Remy threw up his hands, and gave her a crooked grin.

"Whoa der, 'chere," he chuckled. "I never said _my_ world, I don't belong in der' no more than you, Heck if I di'n't love me Uncle so much for helpin' me get my feet on the groun' in Nawlin's I wouldn' be here, I'd never submit anyone to t'e likes o' meh Aunt in der."

"So Maura's dad, your Uncle, is a good man I take it?" Jane asked, inquisitively. Jane knew nothing of Maura's parents, other than the simple fact of they were rich, Maura had not ever been too eager to share her parents' lives with Jane so Jane never pushed the issue. She had figured if Maura's mother was anything like her own, she'd rather _not_ know her.

But now, Jane would never complain about her mother being an aggravating, insufferable woman again… at least until next week when she was certain to say or do something to piss Jane off.

"Der both good peoples, 'chere, just… differ'nt from t'e likes o' you an' meh," Remy said, simply, with a shrug. "Yeh know?"

Jane watched Joe playing in the grass, still chasing the lightning bugs, despite the fact they weren't tasty treats, and sighed at the life she could never afford to give to Maura, or even Joe Friday… or Bass, while she was at it.

"Yeah, I know," she went back to picking small blades of grass out from under her, peeling them away, strand by strand. Her dark eyes radiant with hurt that she forced a mask over, knowing that right now, despite her own pain, she would be there for Maura, because even if she knew she was never going to be enough, she could be happy, being by her side as a friend, rather than nothing at all… right?

* * *

**AN:** Everybody altogether now... AWWWWWWWWWWW! and again, you guys ROCK for all the reviews, i just cant seem to stop writing chapters, im hooked and this is the first time in a LONG time that ive actually not been already done with a story before posting it, lol, so im still almost as clueless as all you readers out there who dont know what will happen next! oohhh, the suspense is KILLING me :) read on, enjoy and please continue to FEED THE BARD!


	7. Comparisons

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, Maura would kill me for the things I would do with Jane :) heh heh, still, not mine!

**Review:** FEED THE BARD!

**A/N:** I would like to bring up a huge thank you to one of my readers; emilyjane96, who has brought a wonderful beta submission to my perceptions of writing Remy, and so from this chapter forward im going to ease up on the Cajun reading just as it has become as difficult to write as it has been for some of you all to interpret, I apologize for not catching it sooner, and I hope that you all continue to enjoy the story!

-7-

Maura gazed out the window of her fathers' bedroom that gave her a direct view of Jane, sitting in the grass next to her cousin, leaving only her imagination to try and decipher what they could be talking about.

Jane smiled, and nodded quite a few times, giving Maura the impression that she could barely understand Remy at all; this made her lips quirk up in a grin…

She loved watching Jane interact, no matter the situation the beautiful Detective found herself in, she could always manage to strike an opinion or catch someone's eye. This was a trait that Maura found most endearing about Jane, since as to this day; any outsider would clearly never believe that Maura and Jane were the best of friends.

"Maura," her fathers' weak voice carried over to her, and her smile fell. She immediately dropped the drape and came to be by her fathers' side.

"I'm here, Daddy," she whispered, touching his hand assuring him.

"Tell me… what is it that has- you so… _mesmerized_ out there?" he sighed.

"What?" Maura felt the blush creeping up her neck at having not realized her fathers' state of alert and had obviously been caught peeping.

"I've never… seen that look- in your eyes," her father blinked, slowly, and sighed again, before it turned out to be a cough. This carried on and Maura rubbed his knuckles with her fingertips, wishing she could do more to help him; she waited patiently for his coughing to subside. "Who is… the lucky guy?"

Maura frowned; surely she could not tell her father as he lie on his deathbed, that she wasn't interested in a man at all.

"There is no man, Daddy," she stated, honest. "I was just admiring the view," she hid her smirk behind a smile as she bended the truth. She truly _had_ been admiring the view, when she watched Jane pick herself up and chase after Joe Friday, playing with the eager pup who still found the fireflies fascinating.

"Too bad…" her father breathed. "I would… have at least liked, to be able- to walk you- down the aisle, someday…" Maura's smile faded, and she thought of all the things that she wished her father would be able to do as well.

Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of her father's wish to walk her down the aisle, to give her away, to watch her happily dance around to her first dance as a married woman, and as Maura envisioned herself in a beautiful white dress, the faceless man in her visions always turned out to have bright brown eyes, long, wavy dark hair, feminine curves that were tough, yet tender, and a smile as wide as the Atlantic Ocean.

_Jane_.

Maura gasped softly as she pictured herself and Jane. Together. Married. Dancing around to their first waltz, every eye in the room upon them, but their eyes locked only on one another, adoringly. Maura's heart pounded erratically at the faint feeling of being in Jane's arms, closing the distance between their bodies, blissfully reaching up with her left hand, that would adorn a wedding band, and wrapping her fingers in Jane's silky smooth dark tresses.

Maura then felt herself nearly swoon at the thought of using that said hand to drag Jane in for a kiss. She'd never in her wildest dreams, ever imagined kissing a woman. But as she could picture Jane right now, beaming down at Maura with so much love in her mahogany eyes, she could just as well picture those lips against her own; soft, supple, and sweet.

Jane's mouth, how many times had Maura unconsciously studied the way it moved when she spoke? The way the left side of her mouth would twitch upward when she was fighting to not smile at something Maura or their friends would say, the dimples that would increase around them, in her high cheekbones whenever she _truly_ smiled, the hard line they would pucker into when Jane would grow agitated, and then bite down on her lower lip when she was lost in thought…

"You've got that look… again-" Richard spoke, watching the flash of emotions fly across his daughter's features. From wonder, to shock, to quizzical and then pure, unadulterated love… his daughter was in love.

"I'm just thinking about where to put my friend up for the night, she drove all the way from Boston to see me-" Maura again, bended the truth, honestly wondering where Jane could sleep tonight. Naturally Maura would have no problems sharing her own bed with Jane, but with the way she was discovering these new feelings and with the turmoil of her fathers' situation, she doubted her own self-control.

"Friend?" Richard's eyes seemed to sparkle. "Where.. is this- _friend_?"

"She's outside with her dog," Maura responded. "And Remy," she added as an afterthought.

"_She?_ And… you left her… alone with y-your cousin?" his face cracked into a wrought grin. Maura smiled, just realizing her father's statement.

"She's a detective, she and I work together in Boston, I'm sure she can handle herself well if Remy tries anything," Maura smirked. Then again, after witnessing Jane confront Margaret this morning, she was more certain Remy would know better than to try and pursue anything with the fierce detective.

"Is she… too busy- to meet me, then?" Richard croaked.

"Daddy," Maura sighed. She grasped his hand once more. "I didn't want to embarrass you, I told her that you may not feel up to much company-"

"Bollocks," her father repeated his favorite word. Maura was beginning to understand why she always teased Jane about her choice in words whenever Jane would lose her temper or swear. Richard and Maura were very much alike when it came to not using profanity.

_Profanity is just a means of showing how truly ignorant a person is, Maura. They say it only because they can think of nothing else more intelligent to speak. _Her father had warned her at an early age when she had first heard her mother use a swear word, and Maura had repeated it to him, eagerly, and blissfully unaware of its meaning, truly only wishing to know what it meant. For Jane, Maura knew that it made her no less ignorant when she swore, quite the opposite, in fact. But she didn't like it nonetheless.

"Are you sure you want to meet Jane? She's very…" Maura tried to come up with the right wording to describe her best friend. _Beautiful, sexy, passionate, loyal…_ None of those would work on her father, and would possibly only lead to further interrogation; she couldn't handle that right now.

"Jane…" her father breathed. "Such a lo-lovely… name… I'd love- to meet her…"

-x-

Remy sat on the edge of the terrace, after having conversed with Jane for a little while; he had come to realize that she wasn't like most other girls. She seemed to have a lot of willpower, strength, and determination. She was sure of herself and her actions, even though he could see the hurt and slight cover she hid behind when he mentioned his family's wealth, he did not miss the fact that Jane seemed headstrong and very protective about his cousin.

He watched her for a bit longer; pondering what kind of dish he would try to make for his _said _cousin, and her guest, when he heard the clicking of heels.

"How's Uncle, 'chere?" Remy didn't turn as he asked this question.

"How'd you know it was me and not Mother?" Maura smiled, kneeling beside him as she finally came to his side.

"Aunt don't wear none of t'ose fancy heels no more," Remy quipped, looking down at her feet and then smirking up at Maura. "Her ankles don' take none too kin'ly to that."

"Fair enough, did you have a nice chat with Jane?" Maura asked.

"I t'ought I saw yah spyin' on me," Remy chuckled. "'Fraid I'd steal your woman, 'chere?"

"I was not spying, I was making sure that you didn't make Jane uncomfortable," Maura retorted.

"Really? T'ought never passed me mind," Remy tapped his forehead. "I doub' anyt'ing I say would have offended t'e likes o' her. She's tough, t'at one, real looker, too!" he laughed as Maura swatted his arm for his last comment.

"What yah hittin' me for, 'chere?" Remy stood. "Sheesh, no respect in t'is world no more," he laughed and bid her farewell, trotting away to the kitchens.

Maura stood as well and made to remove her prada's before stepping barefooted onto the soft grass. She looked out into the open and noticed Jane not too far out, chasing Joe Friday, as the pup barked happily, she could hear Jane's laugh, like small bells chiming through the air, trying to wear the pup down, but only succeeding in doing so to herself and less to her furry companion.

As Maura approached, Jane slowed, feeling her presence, and turned around, her eyes alight with an almost childlike-wonder, and her smile wide and bright as she let her laughter die down.

"Hey," Jane greeted, letting her smile falter just a little as she fought to calm her racing heart. Maura's presence did nothing to help matters.

"Hey yourself, are you having fun?" Maura smiled. Seeing the red tinge to Jane's skin from the adrenaline rushing through her core, a light sheen of sweat trickled on her forehead and the sun light on the horizon made it glisten, making Jane's skin almost shimmer. Jane's chest rose and fell rapidly as she calmed herself down and her erratic breathing slowed.

"Joe is," Jane smirked. "How about you?" she studied the M.E., seeing the dark circles under her eyes that had been present since before Jane arrived, Jane noticed the doctor had done nothing to cover them up, in fact, she was certain she didn't see hardly any traces of makeup on, other than a light lip gloss and a soft pink polish painted on her toes.

"Barefoot sounds good-" Jane slid out of her own shoes and sighed at the cool grass beneath her feet.

"Jane-" Maura began, unsure of what to say. Jane watched her for a moment, trying to decipher her friends' emotions, and saw the pain that sat in her eyes, raw and needy. The green irises soon were flooded with tears that Maura could not seem to control herself, most especially in front of Jane, whom she wished would not see her like this at all…

"Hey," Jane moved forward. "C'mere," Maura fell into Jane's arms as Jane took her hand and tugged, pulling her into a reassuring embrace.

Maura tried to hold herself together, begged her mind, pleaded against the onslaught of tears. Jane could feel the body in her arms quaking with might. Maura sniffled, she wouldn't cry.

"Maura, it's okay, honey," Jane whispered in her ear. She rubbed the smaller woman's back in assurance. "It's going to be alright, if you need to cry, do so, if you have to yell, then scream, if you need to run, I'll be right beside you, just… please, tell me- tell me what I can do," Jane felt her heart wrench for the pain that she couldn't seem to ease for Maura.

She hated not being able to do what she truly wanted to, feeling Maura against her, she wished nothing more than to lift Maura's face with her hands and press her lips against the ones that were currently expelling hot, ragged breaths onto her neck, that were slowly driving Jane's libido haywire.

"Maura, please-" Jane pried, holding Maura tighter. She could feel the other woman's slightly larger chest pressed against her own, her face nuzzled Jane's neck, fitting perfectly into the crook, as if they were cut from a mold and meant to be put back together. A sheet of paper could not tear them apart…

But an aggravated, attention-seeking dog who wanted to know where her playmate ran off to could. As Jane pulled Maura away to wipe her tears, Joe Friday ran into the back of Jane's legs, growling in jealousy of having been shunned.

"Yes, Joe, I hear you, have some respect," Jane attempted to lighten the mood with her dogs playful antics, and it worked. Maura's face cracked into a smile, and she sniffled, wiping her eyes.

"That's okay, she's probably getting hungry," Maura sighed. "I know I am, I think Remy went inside to start cooking-"

"Hopefully his cooking is better than his English," Jane smirked.

"You should hear him speak French, he is much clearer to understand," Maura quipped, proudly.

"Well I don't speak French, so I wouldn't know, now would I?" Jane began to trot back, her arm around Maura's waist, hugging her to her side, tightly, not wanting to let her go just yet.

"There is a reason I came out here," Maura stated as they reached the terrace.

"Other than to just see my pretty face?" Jane mimicked.

"My father wants to meet you," Jane's smirk fell and Maura watched her carefully, trying to debate whether this was still a good idea. "You don't have to, but I've never introduced him to anybody in my life." Maura stated.

"What about Garrett? He never met your parents?" Jane asked, feeling like an asshole for bringing up Maura's ex. But Maura didn't seem to care, she shook her head.

"Garrett's never been to my parents home, I met him while I was on an internship in Boston, he asked me to move in with him and so I did, but we were over before I ever had felt the need to bring him home," Maura explained.

"But didn't you date him for like… three years?" Jane asked, flabbergasted at Maura's choice in words.

"Yes," Maura said, nonchalantly.

"So you're willing to let me meet your par- correction, your _father_, as well, and I'm only your friend?" Jane asked, astounded.

"Jane, you are much more to me than that," Maura scoffed, but both women seemed to have the same silent idea in their heads that they wished those words were as true as they flowed off of Maura's lips.

* * *

**AN: **i think this is as good a spot as any to leave ya'll hangin :) so next chapter, we'll delve deeper... *hearsangrymarchofrizzlesfans* and we'll get closer to the pairing i swear! *dodges pitchforks and tomatoes* eep! REVIEW


	8. Conversations

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Not mine!

**Review: **Yes, please! FEED THE BARD :) om nom nom!

**A/N: **okay readers, if you love my Rizzles story, I have a POLL up on my page, that closes on 23 DECEMBER 2010 for a chance at you all to vote on what Christmas-y one-shot that you would like for me to write based off of a good ol' fashioned holiday song! So PLEASE cast your vote, and once I've reviewed them I will have your fluffy one-shot available on Christmas morning :) Best Wishes!

-8-

"Maura," Jane paused outside the door where Maura planned to introduce Jane to her father. "Are you sure about this? I mean, we don't have to do this if it makes you uncomfortable-"

"Jane," Maura sighed. She glanced down at their entwined hands and gave Jane's a small squeeze, she was surprised Jane had not made any attempt to let go now that they stood before their destination.

"My father is nothing like my mother, if that's what you're worried about," Maura attempted to make Jane smile. It worked, Jane cracked a grin but looked down at their laced digits and frowned once more at the pale scar on her hand that stood out like a sore.

Jane once more, was reminded of who she was, where she was, and what she was doing.

"Maura, I-" Jane sighed. She closed her eyes and shuffled her feet.

How was it that she, one of the best and only female cops in the entire Boston Homicide division, who could face down the most notorious criminals and throw them behind bars without a glance, deal with horrors day in and day out that no person should ever see beyond television gore, and yet, whenever Maura was around, her tongue would tie up, her heart would flutter uncontrollably and she found that the air would grow so thick it would be near impossible to breathe?

A soft caress across Jane's face made Jane's eyes shoot open in shock. Maura's fingertips merely brushed her jaw, her head tilted in that funny way, Jane couldn't help but find adorable, whenever Maura was curious about something or lost in thought.

"It's fine," Maura promised. Without another moments' hesitation, she opened the door and Jane walked in after Maura, not releasing her hand.

-x-

"What... made you- want to be a _cop_," Richard inquired halfway into his conversation of meeting Jane Rizzoli. "Better yet… what do- your parents- think?" he wheezed.

"My Ma hates it," Jane smirked. "But my Dad, we've always had a mutual respect… he always wanted to see his kids happy, and he knows how much I love my job."

"Well… I'm sure- they're proud of.. you," Richard smiled at his own daughter, who was busying herself with tidying up the room while Jane sat by Richard's side, conversing with the sickly gentleman and getting to know him.

Jane could see, that beyond the illness, Richard was a good man; he seemed to have a heart of gold, especially when he spoke of Maura. Jane was all too thrilled to learn a little bit more about Maura as a child, despite Maura's protest that her father shouldn't do so much talking. Richard had kindly told her he was fine, and Jane couldn't help but smile teasingly at her colleague in a ways of saying that she was going to get all the juicy details.

But in all retrospect, she was surprised by Richard's admirable honesty.

"I wasn't the father… that Maura- deserved," Richard stated. Jane watched as Maura, who had dusted off a shelf, paused in placing the small book back where it belonged, as she listened silently. "Her mother and I… we both… married young- a contract marriage…" he informed Jane. Jane didn't need to be told exactly what that meant.

"We… couldn't tolerate to even- look at one another when… we first met-" Richard cracked a wry grin, his blue eyes seemed to twinkle with mirthless laughter. "Eventually, though- we came… to _respect _one another… and soon, that respect… turned to love.."

Jane nodded and kept silent; surprised that Maura did not interrupt her father, instead busied herself with cleaning, and refused to meet Jane's eyes.

"By the time we finally came... around-" Richard paused and coughed, Jane could hear the fluid in his lungs, and she could see from his muscles twitching as he coughed, the strain was really taking its toll on him. Jane rubbed his back as he twisted over, groaning. Maura had finally looked up and took a step to make her way over but stopped.

"We were too old… and Margaret- could no longer… conceive-" Richard gasped, relaxing back into the mattress.

"Sir, please, you don't have to tell me, I can see you need to rest, I'll come back later to talk if you'd like-?" Jane asked, hoping that this would please Maura's fears that were dancing over her features.

"Bollocks," Richard cast away her dismissal. "I may not have a _later_," he breathed. And Jane watched as the man lifted his hand for her own, but his strength wasn't great enough, she instead, took his hand in her own.

"I just want to know I'm not making you uncomfortable," Jane swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling horrible that this man before her was dying and she, nor Maura could do anything to stop it. How could Maura stand for this? Jane couldn't imagine seeing her own father, lying here before her like Richard, or her mother either, she knew that her parents could be aggravating, and that one day eventually all things come to an end, life especially.

She was used to death, but the thought of losing Frank or Angela, or even one of her brothers, made her choke up in fear of not knowing whether they knew how much she loved them. She suddenly couldn't stand to think what this must be like for Maura. Jane looked up to find that Maura had quietly left the room.

"She's… not as strong- as she appears to be," Richard's voice brought her back to the present. He squeezed, as hard as he could, onto her hand. "Maura… is not my flesh and- blood," he breathed. "But she is… my _daughter_," Jane nodded, she knew the story of Maura being adopted, she knew that Maura did not know of her true birth parents.

"She's an incredible woman, Mr. Isles," Jane responded, finally finding the words to say. "And she's an even greater doctor than I've ever known, very logical."

Richard smiled at this. His eyes seemed to almost glaze over with pain, but not physical.

"Jane… I know you don't – know me.. but I would like… to ask a favor to you… as a father to – a daughter…" Richard's voice cracked with emotion. "I may sound… sentimental – or cheesy even… but I want to know when – my time comes, that… someone will be there… for my baby girl-"

Jane could only stare at Richard, almost in awe of the fathers' heartfelt plea. Jane thought of all the times that Angela would always tell her how she only wants to know her baby girl is taken care of. Now she could see at least she was not the only one.

"Sir, I-" Jane's voice broke. She felt his hand squeeze hers once more, the scar on the back stretched out, an ugly reminder of what she was. "I'm no good at keeping promises…"

Richard watched her, his eyes seeping from pain to curiosity.

"I came here… and I thought I would be helping- no, I don't know what I thought-" Jane sighed. She rubbed her face with her other hand, yet again feeling the twin scar on her palm. ""I don't know what I can do… I come from an entirely different world than Maura, where she was born into wealth, I was born on a plumbers' salary," Jane's eyes glossed over with tears.

"Where she went to the finest schools, I stuck it out in detention through the Boston public school system," she couldn't count how many times the nuns would throw her in detention. "She was raised with fancy clothes, and balls and galas; I had to wear a hand-me-down dress from my mother to my own junior prom…"

"I cannot afford nice things, I don't have a home, I have an apartment that is about the size of this room alone, I don't know how to cook anything other than a few Italian dishes from my mother's recipe book, I can be a complete slob, I could never give Maura the life she deserves," Jane finished, not realizing the tears that were streaming down her face until she felt Richard's hand lift from hers.

That moment almost broke her, as she practically all but told Richard Isles that she, a woman, was in love with his daughter. She could practically see the disgust and rage in his eyes as he leaned forward with all his might to wipe her tears away.

Jane blinked, the hands were tender, and warm, yet weak, Richard's hand fell back to his side as he stared openly at her. His face broken out into as large of a smile as she imagined he could bear.

"Jane," he sighed. "I never… said- any of that… now did I?" he was mocking her. Jane sniffled and wiped her tears away, straightening her posture, miffed.

"Sir-"

"Jane, please… let me -"he used a remote on his bed, to control the bed, upward into an almost upright position. This way, he was directly seeking eye to eye with her. "Do you.. love my daughter?"

"More than anything," Jane responded automatically, shock overwhelming her at her blunt honesty.

"Then that's… all I need – to hear," Richard smiled. "Take it from an old guy… like me, Jane – love isn't about money… or about what you – can afford or offer…" he lifted his hand to his heart. "It only matters – how you feel… toward that person… how that person _feels_ toward you – there is always… more than one way to – show somebody you love them."

Jane listened with intensity at Richard's speech, and took it to heart as the reality of his words opened up her eyes. It was true, she'd never be able to take Maura to an opera, or afford their own private jet, or even nice clothes or shoes that Maura seemed to always swoon over, but she could give her more love than she could fit into a lifetime.

"I will make sure Maura is taken care of," Jane promised Richard. "As long as Maura needs me in her life, sir, I'll be there by her side." Richard's eyes closed at that statement, but his smile remained, he looked peaceful, despite the damage the cancer had done to his body.

Jane was honored to have met the man that Maura called her father, and even more so sure of why Maura seemed much more at ease with her father. He was, after all, a great man.

-x-

Maura helped beat the eggs in the bowl with a whisk, her cousin having left her with the minimal task after knowing that she could at least not screw that much up. She smiled as the heavenly aromas surrounded her. Remy and her were alone in the grand kitchen downstairs in the Isles' home, after no longer managing to hear her fathers' hurtful, yet honest words to Jane, she had excused herself to find a place to breathe.

It was when she heard her rambunctious cousin whipping up dinner that she had decided to escape in his laboratory of art.

Remy flipped on the old 1980's transistor radio, and tuned it in to an old station that had just began an old country song that Maura had never heard before. Remy howled in delight as he tapped his wooden spoon along the table counter in time with his foot.

_Well, ya get down the fiddle and_

_Ya get down the beau_

_Take off yer shoes, and_

_Yah throw 'em on the floor!_

_Dance in the kitchen 'til the_

_Mornin' light_

_Louisiana Saturday Night…_

Remy began dancing along, checking on the stove top and stirring the sauce, but shimming his hips along to the beat as he tried to sing along…

Maura laughed at Remy's antics, forgetting her troubles for the time. Forgetting that her father was lying upstairs, dying, forgetting that her mother was asking for her to take over the estate, forgetting that she was probably using up almost all of her sick leave to be here, and probably on the verge of losing her job.

She was sixteen again, and Remy was her best friend, as he fiddled around with the spices and ingredients, tapping along to an old beat, singing loudly and even attempting to dance, just so she would smile.

"C'mon, 'chere!" Remy teased, grabbing Maura's hand and pulling her forcefully away from the bowl and whisk. He twirled her around in his arms and Maura, unable to stop laughing, began to bounce around, dancing in time to the music.

_My brother Bill an' my other brother Jack,_

_Belly full o'beer and a possum in the sack_

_Fifteen kids in the front porch light:_

_Louisiana Saturday night!_

_When the kinfolk leave an' the kids get fed,_

_Me an' my woman gonna slip off to bed._

_Have a little fun when we turn out the lights!_

_Louisiana Saturday night!_

Maura could hardly understand the words as Remy tried to sing along and twirl her around and around the tile floor. She laughed uncontrollably as he spun her around then tried to dip her, nearly losing her footing and causing Maura to fall on her backside, but picking her right back up before that could happen.

"Remy, easy, I'm not used to this kind of dancing!" Maura laughed.

"Aw, cousin, ya just gotta spend more time in my neck of the woods!" Remy offered his infamous crooked grin, and released her to check on his rice.

Maura, suddenly aware of someone watching her, turned to see a pair of brown eyes, filled with wonder, amusement, lust and… Maura couldn't be sure, as Jane blinked and suddenly she was with them in the kitchen.

"Looks like fun, can I be of any help to you?" Jane smirked in a jest that let Maura know she'd seen her attempts at dancing with her eccentric cousin.

"Certainly," Maura smiled and handed Jane the whisk and bowl, and grinned as Jane's smirk turned into a playful scowl, not receiving the answer she had wanted.

Maura picked up a knife and began to chop the green onion as it had said in the recipe.

"What are we making?" Jane asked, curious.

"Jambalaya," Remy called over his shoulder, stirring the said stew.

"Jamboree-whatta?" Jane asked, stirring the eggs, Maura added the green onion to them and she continued to whisk as Maura moved on to the tomatoes.

"Cajun dish, it's like a stew, but thicker, you can eat it over rice as well-" Maura explained.

"Hey, cuz' can you grab t'e shrimp from under the faucet? I'm sure it's done thawin' by now," Remy requested.

"I'll do it," Jane walked over to the sink that was running over a strainer of uncooked, frozen shrimp. "I thought shrimp were supposed to be red?" she asked, shaking the bowl of excess water before picking up the offending gray, scaly object by the tail.

"T'ey are once you cook dem, 'chere," Remy teased, taking the bowl and tossing them into a skillet with butter and garlic.

Jane watched as the shrimp began to pink from the heat and shook her head. Yet another thing that she didn't know making her feel somewhat dumb for even asking.

"_Shit!_" Maura's loud curse drew Jane's attention immediately over toward her. It didn't even register that this was one of the first times she'd ever heard the M.E. swear.

"Language, Maura," Jane teased, but as Maura turned around, wincing, her smile fell as she noticed what caused the accidental phrase to slip.

"Damn, cuz, what'd ya do that for?" Remy crooned as Jane rushed to Maura's side and placed a towel over the long slit finger that bled profusely.

Maura hissed at the contact, but Jane placed pressure on it to help stop the bleeding and held it still. Before she heard Remy run to get the first aid kid, she was concentrated more on the warmth of Jane's touch than on the cut that throbbed from where she cut herself.

"You use scalpels every single day and not once have I seen you cut yourself?" Jane asked, in a mimicking tone, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Yes well, I was momentarily distracted," Maura blushed, not wanting to delve deeper into how she had watched Jane moving about the kitchen, smiling and seeming so natural, almost domesticated. It caused her to have a flashback of her earlier daydreams of her and Jane building a life together and that was when Maura had slipped with the knife and, in shock, swore loudly.

Jane continued to add pressure to the wound, before she gently unwrapped the towel and examined the cut. It wasn't deep, that much Jane could already tell by how fast the blood seemed to mineralize, it was long, however, almost by an inch.

"Gotta be more careful, M," Jane wet the cloth that had been holding the wound and pressed it back to the cut, Maura winced. "Ya don't want to go around with scars like mine, now do you?" Jane tried to joke, but it came out sounding strained as she reminded herself of the scars on her hands, more so of how she got them.

_Brash stupidity, trying to be a hero_, Jane mused, seething at the thought of Charles Hoyt.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Maura sighed. Jane stiffened as Maura released herself and then wrapped her own hands around Jane's; the blood had all but stopped.

"Do what?" Jane asked, swallowing thickly as she suddenly realized their close proximity. She could feel Maura's hot breath on her chin, and see the flecks of gold dancing around in her bright green eyes.

"Speak so low of yourself," Maura whispered. "These scars," she rubbed her index finger idly over Jane's scar on her left hand, "they're a part of you."

"I hate them," Jane took a sharp intake of air as Maura cradled her hands. "They're ugly."

"They're yours," Maura sighed. She looked back up to Jane's eyes, "these hands are the hands that have held me in kindness, that have been a comfort to me in my time of need, these hands," Maura brought Jane's right hand to her cheek, "caressed my tears away." Maura turned into Jane's palm and Jane swallowed a moan as Maura's soft lips pressed to the scar laying there.

"These scars mean nothing to me, it's the hands that bear them that do-" Maura sighed. Jane's head swam with emotion, dizzy from the scent of Maura, she could hardly breathe, she let herself fall forward, gently her forehead rested against Maura's and she closed her eyes to try and regain her equilibrium.

"Maura-" Jane breathed. Her heart pounded so loudly, could Maura hear it? She opened her eyes to see Maura's reaction, but saw only closed eyes; Maura's nose brushed her own as she lifted her face toward Jane, her breaths coming in erratic, short puffs of hot air. Jane would only need to lean in another inch and she would be kissing her-

"Maura," a second voice carried caused both women to jump. Separating themselves, Jane felt her heart only beat faster in the rush of nearly being caught… caught? She looked up and saw that Maura's eyes had grown darker with want, but she blinked and immediately looked away, her cheeks burning bright in embarrassment of her actions.

Jane looked up and noticed that Remy was standing in the door frame; however, it didn't take but a moment for her to see that something was horribly wrong. Remy's face was streaked with tears, Maura, catching Jane's gaze, looked over toward her cousin and saw his face reveal torn emotions between broken and loss.

"Remy?" Maura's voice hitched. Her mind clicked immediately. _No, no, no, please no-_she began chanting in her brain, tears stung her eyes, her heart rate increased and she felt her lungs and heart tighten in fear.

"Uncle is gone," Remy's choked words confirmed what both women knew was coming. But neither expected the cold clutch of loss to affect them so deeply.

* * *

**AN:** A huge shout out here at the end, this chapter is dedicated to Gentry, who inspired the idea of Maura and Jane together in the kitchen, though it didnt turn out the way I'd planned, I am still satisfied with how it completed the story. How about you guys? Leave your comments in the Review Box BELOW! :) and please dont forget, if you wish to see a fluffy XMAS one shot on christmas morning, VOTE ON MY POLL! :) Happy Holidays to all!


	9. Confessions

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **They aren't mine, so don't sue, because I can't afford it after all my Christmas shopping!

**Reviews: **Yes, please! :) The Bard needs to be FED!

**A/N: **I have nothing more to say than a BAJILLION thank you's to all of you, I have been checking my Stats recently and this story is slowly climbing up to being in second place of one of my prior stories from the HM fandom. And I've reached over 100 REVIEWS! Sooo, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Lol, enjoy the story everyone :)

-9-

Remy slowly moved past Maura to turn off all the stoves and cooking equipment, his eyes were glazed over, as if he were far away, lost in transition. Maura's eyes held a gaze, however, that scared Jane.

Jane had managed to catch Maura before she fell to the floor too hard, and Jane sat there, waiting expectantly for her friend to begin crying. But no tears came.

"Maura?" Jane whispered, almost terrified of breaking the spell she watched her friend's hazy eyes turn to her, they had grown dim, almost lifeless, like the bodies Jane dealt with on a daily basis. Jane shuddered inwardly at Maura's lost look.

At that moment, Margaret came into the kitchen, her eyes were puffy, and her nose red, she carried a balled wad of tissue in one hand. She strode with confidence however, and purpose.

"Remy, what do you think you are doing?" Margaret chirped. "Continue cooking, we all still need to eat, don't just stand there looking at me like I've grown an extra head, you still have manners-"

"Aunt-" Remy pardoned her. "I don't t'ink now is-"

"_Now_ is dinner time, Remy, so get back to it," Margaret left no room for him to argue. Jane watched, in sheer disgust as Margaret barked out orders toward her nephew like he was some sort of slave, what was worse was how she could treat anyone that way when they were all obviously in pain from the recent news.

Jane couldn't believe that he was gone. She had just been speaking with him no longer than a half an hour ago, he had been content and asleep when she left him be, no signs of pain at all… Jane's throat tightened. Could it be that she was the last person to have spoken to him? That it was she that he uttered his _last words_ to? Spent his final moments?

Jane felt herself getting sick, but concentrated on the woman in her arms, and then on Margaret, who rounded on the two of them.

"Maura, honestly child, _why_ in Heaven's name are you sitting on the floor? Get up," Margaret snapped. "You haven't fallen ill, or suddenly grow paralyzed to where you couldn't walk, now have you?"

"She just found out her father _died,_" Jane spat. She could see Remy tense beside them, but he kept to chopping up the chicken and meat for the dinner. "She's experiencing what they call _pain_, or do you not have the heart beneath that frigid layer of bitch to actually feel the loss you've just suffered?"

Jane was heated. This woman just lost her husband, Jane understood that everyone had their ways of dealing with pain, but she couldn't tolerate watching her lash out toward the only family she had left just because she wasn't hurting the same way Maura and Remy were…

"How _dare _you?" Margaret fired back. "You insolent woman, you think I know nothing of _pain?_ I just spent the last six months watching my husband of forty-two years rot to his death, I've watched him suffer through the pain, the treatments, the sickness and _you_ have the audacity to sit there, after barely knowing my husband for more than a few hours, to insult me, to-"

"Enough," Maura's quiet plea stunningly silenced her mother. Maura stood, Jane released her as she tried to hold on, but Maura jerked her arm away from Jane's touch. Jane's heart stung with the rebuttal, but she tried to rationalize that she knew Maura was not all there at the moment.

"Maura, darling, I expect you to help me make the phone calls, I'd like the viewing to be as soon as possible, so as to give your father a proper burial-" Margaret chided. Maura looked up at her mother, and Jane could not believe her next words.

"I'll start making the phone calls in the morning," Maura agreed. "I am going to bed," she exclaimed.

"What about dinner, 'chere?" Remy turned, his voice carrying a great deal of concern for his cousin's health.

"Just leave some over for me in case I wake up later," Maura responded, automatically.

"Maura, you really should eat-" Jane tried to bargain with her friend. She hurt, a lot, to see Maura this way. So distant, so cold, and lifeless.

"I'm not hungry, Jane," Maura confirmed her earlier statement, and without another word, brushed past them, and out of the kitchen. Jane watched her go until she was no longer in sight.

"Where do you think you're going?" Margaret snapped as Jane made to follow her.

"I'm going to offer my services to your daughter, _ma'am_," Jane replied, shortly.

"No you will most certainly not, I want you out of my home," Margaret snapped.

"Aunt-" Remy whipped around, prepared to defend Jane. Jane stood, motionless. _Crap_, she couldn't just leave, not now… without Maura.

"Quiet, Remy," Margaret barked. "You have been nothing, _nothing_ but trouble since you arrived, I do not wish for you to stay here any longer, my husband is gone, and until my daughter can gain her bearings, I must make the decisions for what is best in this home."

"Oh, I'd love to see how that will work out," Jane retorted.

"Do not think for one second I will not hesitate to have you incarcerated for being a disturbance to my family during their time of mourning!" Margaret shrieked. Jane paused, staring wildly at the matriarch of the Isles' home. "I will not have some loony dyke street-cop trying to put moves on my daughter and further making an embarrassment to me or my family!"

Jane's eyes shot open wide, as did Remy's, at Margaret's proclamation.

"I don't know why you insist on staring at me like some deer in the headlights," Margaret's nostrils flared as she began to lower her voice, but the venom became even deadlier. "You think because I am elder that I do not know what goes on in my own household? My only child has just lost her father, and I, my husband."

"I will have no more of this foolish relationship scandal in my home while we have important guests arriving soon to pay their respects, and you are most certainly not welcome to be there, _Detective_ Rizzoli," Margaret finished, spitting out Jane's title as if it were blasphemy.

Her eyes were slits, flashing in anger, as she turned toward Remy.

"You may allow her to eat, but then I want you to personally escort Ms. Rizzoli out of my house, understood?" Margaret barked. Remy let out a weak nod, still in shock from the loss and denial of what just happened.

Margaret turned swiftly on her heel and marched out of the kitchen, nose in the air. Jane stood, frozen to the tile, unable to believe how horrible of a woman Margaret truly was, and what's more, how little she just made Jane feel. Having never felt so far put in place in her entire life, even by the High school cheerleading team… Jane Rizzoli was thoroughly stunned, and fought the urge to let the tears gathering in her eyes to fall.

She balled her fists; they shook in anger and resentment toward the elder Isles' woman. She felt her head spin as she tried to wrap her mind around the hurtful words and shove them away, somewhere deep and then tried to begin ways of reasoning with Mrs. Isles, as much as she would never stoop to groveling for anything, she knew she could not leave Maura…

"Listen, I dunno what your thinkin' 'chere, but yeh may want to be wise on this one and just get your t'ings and go," Remy advised. "Trust me when I say… yeh don't want ta be messin' with Aunt Isles, she can do some damage when she has to."

"She doesn't scare me," Jane's voice was braver than she felt as she stated this. Remy's frown quirked for a moment but fell right back to its spot.

"I like yer attitude, but believe me here, I know how ugly things can get, if you t'ink that was bad, what yeh just witnessed? You're in for a rude awakenin'," Remy warned. "You'd best be on your way, if yeh truly value your life."

"You sayin' she'd murder me if I didn't leave?" Jane inquired, eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline.

"Naw, she wouldn't go that far, me Aunt ain't that terrible," Remy shook his head, stirring the onions into his stew. "But you'd be findin' yerself losin' everyt'ing you hold most dear, yer job, car, and she wouldn't just stop wit' you, she could have yer brother's badge, yer fathers' company-"

Jane held up her hand to show that she got the gesture. She looked away, recalling the incident when Fairfields' lawyer had shown up, and warned her against doing her job, where she had not been too concerned, until it ended in the threat of losing her career.

She couldn't imagine how money could make any person so power-hungry or greedy, but then again, she was a Homicide detective, she'd handled murder cases for less. Jane shook her head and left the kitchen, suddenly unable to think clearly.

She looked up the stairwell, and thought of Maura. Would Maura really care if Jane did leave? Would she let her mother tell her to go? Or would Maura defend Jane? Make her stay? In her heart, Jane ached for Maura to beg her to stay, to need her, to _want _her…

Jane couldn't just leave, not without saying goodbye, not without Maura knowing – she bounded up the stairwell, two at a time, and felt her heart catch in her throat as she stood outside the door, and knocked, waiting patiently as she could for a reply.

Jane was just about to knock again, when she heard the soft words from the other side, beckoning her in.

Jane blinked, it took a moment for her to get used to the darkness of the room, there was a window right above the bed, where the moonlight streamed inward, onto the mattress where she saw Joe Friday curled up alongside Maura's body. Joe did not raise her head when Jane came in, but her eyes did shift over to her caretaker, and give a small whimper of hello.

Maura was wrapped in the down comforter up to her chest, one arm pillowed beneath her head, the other stretched out, stroking Joe Friday's tail.

"Never thought you would warm up to Joe so much," Jane couldn't help but try and bring a light heart into the conversation as she moved toward the bed.

"Bass was much too heavy to lift, so he's down by the foot, sleeping," Jane didn't bother to look in the same direction as Maura. Maura's eyes lifted back up to petting Joe Friday and then moved up to meet Jane's gaze, but only minimally.

Jane could see the raw hurt swimming in those emerald pools. Her honey blonde hair splashed out behind her, her porcelain skin looked flawless in the pale moonlight, Jane shook herself from gawking like a teenager and wondered if Maura knew just how angelic she looked right now.

"Your mother…" Jane cleared the lump that formed in her throat. "Has asked me to leave, she wants me gone before anyone else can show up for the funeral."

Maura said nothing, nor did she move from her spot on the bed, but her eyes moved back up to Jane's and for a moment Jane swore she saw the distinguishing marks of fear and retaliation, and what was that?

"Are you?" Jane blinked.

"You have a lot that's about to transpire," Jane sighed. "I don't want to be in the way."

"Jane," Maura sat up. "Do you want to leave?" her eyes searched Jane's and Jane looked away, instead choosing to pet Joe Friday as well, but Maura's hand came up to stop her hand, and then laced their fingers together. Jane was careful to not toy around with the bandage Maura had placed over her cut from earlier.

"No," Jane sighed, looking back into Maura's eyes. The way Maura looked at her shook her to the core, she trembled outwardly as Maura's other hand reached up to tangle softly in her hair.

"Then stay," Maura breathed, and pulled Jane in without a seconds hesitation.

Jane whimpered low as their lips met; Maura's sought hers out forceful, hungry, _needing_. Jane responded in kind, despite the alarms going off in her brain, her heart pounded in her ears, she felt Maura's tongue slide along and pry her mouth open. She eagerly met Maura's tongue, and swallowed her moan as she glided hers along Maura's pearly whites.

Neither woman was certain how long they had been kissing, but Jane suddenly came to when she felt Maura tugging at her shirt, her skin electrified at Maura's fingertips brushing along her toned abs. Somehow they had managed to lie back, with Jane straddling Maura, Joe Friday had left the vicinity, and Jane was all but practically pinning Maura beneath her, their bodies pressed together in tandem, it made it even more difficult for Jane to think as she felt Maura's leg slide up between her own.

"Maura-" Jane stopped Maura's roaming hands as they neared the edge of her breasts.

"Jane…" Maura froze, suddenly aware of what she was doing. Her eyes froze in shock and then straight to fear as she realized what she and Jane were doing.

"Maura, as much as I want to continue this… we should talk-"

"I'm so sorry, Jane, I – I didn't mean- oh, God…" Maura's eyes filled up with tears in the fear that she had just ruined her relationship with Jane.

"Shh, oh, baby, don't cry, please," Jane's heart broke as Maura broke into a fit of sobs and she hushed her silently. She hated it when Maura would cry, she never was good at consoling the M.E., nonetheless she held her close, hushing her softly and pressing kisses to her face, her eyes, her chin, her jaw, then, as they began to subside, she persisted to kiss Maura's lips, oh so softly, once, twice, then stared into Maura's closed eyes.

"Maura," she whispered, tracing stray honey hair away from her face, she spoke her name in that of a request. Maura's eyes slowly opened, and looked back at Jane, filled with adoration and love, so much love Jane's heart melted at the sight and couldn't help but feel elated that it was directed at her.

Jane swallowed the lump from her throat, terrified that if she spoke, this spell would shatter the world around them would open up and Jane just wanted it to remain as is, she wanted to just lay here with Maura in her arms forever, she wanted to just kiss away all of her pain.

"Jane," Maura breathed Jane's name, her hooded eyes filled with desire. "I do believe I've fallen in love with you." Jane's breathing hitched and her heart began pounding even louder than before, bruising her ribcage. Maura's trained eyes caught the pulse point on Jane's neck that throbbed in tandem with her heart rate.

"Please… please say something," Maura whispered, her voice hitching, sounding smaller than ever before. She waited patiently, however, she couldn't be sure that Jane would react well to her confession.

"You deserve better than me," Jane finally managed to croak. Her eyes fell down to their laced fingers as they lie side by side, legs twined, Jane felt every bit as useless and sorry as Margaret had made her feel earlier.

"Jane Angela Rizzoli," Maura's voice grew strict. "How dare you tell me what I do or do not deserve? What it is that I need in my life?" she released Jane's hand and lifted her chin upward.

Before Jane could protest Maura was kissing her again, but this time it wasn't hungry, or rushed. It was slow, sweet, and passionate, Jane moaned as Maura caressed her lips tenderly, positive that Maura was her lifeline to this world and that if Maura ever let go of her, she would float away, unable to remain grounded. She was Jane's rock.

The kiss broke, but Maura pulled Jane tighter to her.

"I have never thought that love would be logical Jane, but now you're making no sense whatsoever to me," Maura whispered, trailing her fingers along the base of Jane's spine. Jane was hyper aware of every digit that traced her skin, burning into her like a flesh memory.

"I love you, Maura," Jane whispered, her nose brushing Maura's. "I'm _in_ love with you, and I just don't know what I'd do if I lost you-" Jane's eyes darkened in both fear and arousal. Maura could feel the woman's heart beating in tandem beneath her own and now it was Maura who trembled at the raw need she saw flash through Jane's features.

"You don't see yourself through my eyes, Maura," Jane's voice grew huskier. "You are every bit of perfection, to me, an angel existing in a mortal world. And I know I cannot give you nice, expensive things but-"

"But those _things_ don't matter to me, Jane," Maura almost whined, cradling Jane's face. "Nothing matters to me, not shoes, not clothes, not even a large, spacious home to live in, I would trade it all, and I'd give everything I have to be with you-"

"I am who I am, Maura," Jane shrugged solemnly. "I just want to see you happy."

"Then make me happy, Jane," Maura's eyes filled with tears as her voice broke. "You're the only one who can, just make me happy, stay by my side, don't leave me, when I grow upset with you, take my hands and remind me why I chose you, when I'm angry, kiss me and tell me that I love you, because I _do_ Jane, I choose you, I love you, I _want_ only you…"

Jane's heart was in her throat, and she couldn't stand the tension any longer as Maura's sweet breath caressed her face, she leaned in and closed the distance, pouring every ounce of her heart and soul into a scorching kiss, leaving both women hungry for more…

* * *

**AN:** Yay, for RIZZLES LOVE AT LAST! haha, so I do believe I'll make the next chapter an 'M' rating, just to be safe ;) and then we'll have to shortly thereafter, have the ladies confront the real world once again. Keep on reading and tell me what you think, and I'll keep posting!


	10. Confrontations

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Not mine!

**Reviews: **Yes, reviews are the fuel to firing up this story! :)

**A/N: **Okay, so those who have read through the prior chapter, this chapter will be RATED M, for mature content, so if you don't have the stomach for steamy sex, go away :)

-10-

Maura moved slowly, as did Jane, both women taking their time, exploring, caressing, learning new territory. Jane helped ease Maura out of her shirt as Maura unclasped Jane's bra, while at the same time, biting down gently on the pulse point beneath Jane's long, beautiful neck.

Jane groaned, her body was on fire, and a surge of heat flashed down toward her crotch where Maura's leg was still just lightly adding pressure through her jean-clad leg.

"God, Maura," Jane murmured, capturing Maura's mouth in another hungry kiss as she traced her fingers down Maura's torso, feeling Maura's pebbled nipple stiffen by a mere touch, she could feel Maura gasp against her mouth and Jane's own mouth turned upward in a smile, knowing the affect she was causing in the blonde.

Her digits slowly trailed along the smooth expanse of flat stomach, dipping slowly into her navel and then coming to rest on the button of Maura's jeans. Maura broke the kiss with a louder gasp.

"Jane… take them off, please-" she whimpered, Jane made quick work of the fly as she began to move down, offering a sly grin as she nibbled on Maura's collarbone, then kissed her way down to Maura's perfectly rounded breast, she used one hand to knead the other, while her tongue swirled around the pink pebble, suckling gently.

Maura could not even distinguish her own plea as she cried out at the shocking pleasure that Jane's mouth was causing her. The heat in her lower belly intensified and her lower origin throbbed with need and ached for Jane's touch.

"You're so beautiful," Jane's husky voice breathed in Maura's ear, as Jane finished with her breast and moved forward to press their torso's together, their breasts making contact, and Maura felt her head spin with wild excitement as she clawed at Jane's arms.

"Jane-" Maura sighed. "Please – don't tease… cant-" Jane smiled at the usually collected doctor as she found herself unable to perform a simple sentence or request. Jane tugged hard on Maura's jeans and successfully ripped them off, along with her soaked panties.

Jane could feel the growl emanating from her chest as her eyes darkened in desire at the sight of Maura's glistening folds.

"Beautiful…" Jane murmured again into Maura's ear, nibbling on the lobe gently. Maura trembled with sheer pleasure at the raw want in Jane's voice.

Maura then shivered as Jane's warm body lowered before her, kissing a hot trail all the way down to Maura's creamy thighs. Maura grasped one of Jane's hands to steady herself, she was so close to losing all of her self-control, she felt her heart beating rapidly like the wings of a hummingbird, Jane was touching her, loving her, making her feel like the only woman on Earth, Maura felt an overwhelming sense of affection and love toward the brunette, who-

"_JANE!_" Maura near-shrieked at the first lap of Jane's tongue against Maura's center. Jane drowned in the sweet texture, like licking honey from a spoon, Jane folded her tongue along every crevice of Maura's sex, teasing her clitoris, feeling Maura writhe above her.

Jane shouldered one of Maura's thighs, to gain better access, and held tightly to Maura's hand, that clung to her own as Jane danced her tongue around Maura, learning which areas made Maura moan and which would make her sigh.

Finally, Jane took her, delving her tongue as deep into Maura's hot liquid center, and nicked her clitoris with her teeth. That was all it took for the calm, sensible doctor to cry out Jane's name and Jane could feel how close Maura was, as her muscles tightened around her, Jane replaced her tongue with two fingers, thrusting gently inward and then pulling out, once, twice, three times more and Maura's body began to spasm, turning the blonde into a puddle.

Jane let Maura ride her hand as she came down from orgasm, her skin glistening in the moonlight with the thin sheen of sweat that racked her body. Maura shivered from the intense cold air around her until she felt Jane's body once more, covering her own. Her fingers were still inside of Maura and made her shudder...

"That was… unforgettable," Jane whispered into Maura's neck, kissing softly then nipping at the flesh.

"Mmm," Maura crooned. She raked her nails lightly up Jane's spine and then tangled them in her dark, tangled hair, forcing Jane to look up at her, when Maura pulled Jane's mouth to hers and kissed her forcefully. Jane felt the fire stir back up in her belly, suddenly more turned on than she'd ever been in her life, she'd nearly come when Maura had, just watching the blonde struggle to maintain composure, then lose it, caused Jane's head to spin with pleasure and aching need.

Maura flipped the detective onto her back and covered her, Jane moaned at Maura's dominant side, surprised, but not complaining on how her gentle hands made fast work of turning Jane into a helpless ball of mush. Jane gasped as Maura began to lick, suck and bite every inch of flesh that came across Maura's eyes and hands.

"You've been driving me crazy, Jane," Maura's voice grew deep, like a velvet husk. "I've been dying to touch you-"

"Then touch me," Jane whimpered as Maura's hands teased her nipples and turned them into stiff peaks.

"I shall," Maura's smile was winning, her eyes gleaming in victory as she caused Jane to moan and gasp with every touch, every caress, and every kiss. Maura kissed Jane's stomach, enjoying watching the muscles beneath twitch, she swirled her tongue down, dipping into her navel and continued massaging Jane's breast as she bit down on Jane's hip bone, causing Jane's hips to rise off of the mattress momentarily in reaction.

"Fuck, Maura," Jane pleaded.

"Language, Jane" Maura smiled, enjoying the tease. Never in her dreams had Jane been so incredibly beautiful or measured up to her fantasies of what she was experiencing now. Jane was gorgeous, her hands by her side, clutching and unclenching the sheets beneath her, her chest rising and falling in short, rushed breaths, her skin raised with gooseflesh, head thrown back, eyes lidded heavy with arousal and a soft plea on her beautiful lips.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are to me?" Maura kissed the inside of Jane's thigh. "You. Are. Incredibly. Stunning." She punctuated each word with another kiss that led closer to the triangle of dark curls that smelled strongly of sex, causing Maura to grow lightheaded from the heavy scent.

"Maura -" Jane's voice shook with evidence that she couldn't tolerate too much more teasing.

Maura smiled, and without another taunt, put her tongue to good use. Maura kissed Jane's center, peeking her tongue out to the enriched folds that were incredibly hot and wet to the touch. Jane cried out in pleasure of Maura's motions.

Maura, placed both hands on either of Jane's hips to help still her as the younger woman writhed beneath her, Maura concentrated on Jane's clit, flicking, nibbling and suckling the nub until it was hardened with stimulation, she then used her uninjured fingers to circle Jane's center before inserting one finger, then two into Jane's heat.

Maura was shocked by how tight Jane was, as the muscles twitched and clamped down on her fingers as she began to pump them in and out of Jane, who was now writing on the bed, her back arching toward the sky, begging for release.

"M-Maura- _God_…" Jane's voice carried over the blood rushing through her ears, she was going crazy, she could not think coherently as Maura's tongue worked magic on her body. Maura's tongue was then dispersant and Jane whined until she felt Maura's lips crash onto her own. Maura continued to thrust her fingers into Jane, harder with each thrust.

Jane tasted herself on her lovers lips and moaned throatily as she felt every part of Maura surround her, her brain fuzzy with desire as she drew closer to the edge, Maura's mouth departed her own and she felt her breath against her face.

"Look at me, Jane," Maura whispered, her voice tender. "I want to look in your eyes as you come," she pleaded. Jane felt her body spasm at the request, she fought, as hard as she could, despite that her brain could hardly function as pleasure began to wrack her body, her eyes opened and suddenly she was drowning in pools of emerald.

Wave upon wave crashed onto her as she locked eyes with Maura, a scream dying in her throat as Maura kissed her, hard and lavished her body with fervent strokes, Jane rode down from her high, breathing ragged, watching Maura watch her, _love_ her.

"Maura," Jane breathed. Maura kissed her again, patient this time, as she pulled out of Jane, once certain that Jane was completely finished, then cradled Jane's body.

Jane's arms wrapped around Maura, turning her over onto her backside and running along the sides of her curves, she broke the kiss and nuzzled Maura's hair, then rested her nose in the crook of her lovers' sweet-smelling neck. She pressed a soft kiss to the slowing pulse point.

"I love you, Maura," Jane whispered. "I love you so much. I promise I'll never leave you, as long as you need me."

"I do need you, Jane," Maura's voice shook with emotion, Jane lifted one hand to stroke Maura's hair, then face. "I need you, forever."

Maura then began to slowly cry, she cried from the beauty of Jane's lovemaking, from the love that was in her heart, so swollen she was surprised it had not yet burst, she then cried for her father, and Jane remained vigilant, kissing her tears, catching each one, despite how many fell, she whispered sweet nothings into Maura's ear, making her believe that everything really would be alright.

As Jane moved to spoon Maura, Maura clutched at the arm wrapped securely around her waist, Jane kissed the back of Maura's head, then her bare shoulder, wrapping the two of them up in sheets, tangling Maura in her warmth, hoping beyond hope she could be enough for the broken woman in her arms.

"I love you, don't ever forget," Jane whispered as the emotions from the day took a toll on Maura's body, the two women fell asleep, distraught and overturned by the events that rolled through their minds.

Both women did not wake from their slumber once the entire night.

-x-

Maura woke to the sound of a loud thump against her dresser, Bass had awoke and was trying to maneuver around the room, she guessed, her eyes closed the turned over, however, but met cold sheets. She shot up with a gasp, Jane was gone, she saw nothing of her baggage and Joe Friday, Maura had to take a deep, collective breath to ensure that she think clearly.

Jane wouldn't have been so cold as to leave in the middle of the night would she? No, she said she wouldn't leave… Maura was just about to swing her feet over the bed to look for her cell phone when the door to her room opened and Maura's heart stopped at Jane's voice.

"Joe, bad girl, stop being so noisy, we don't want to wake Ma-" Jane's gaze followed the yapping dog that bounded up to Maura, jumping into her lap, Maura released the blanket that had covered her upper torso to catch the happy pup.

Jane could only stare at the half naked vision before her. Jane was wearing her Boston PD sweatpants and a t-shirt, her hair was in complete disarray, meaning she had left in a hurry to get Joe Friday outside, and did not plan on Maura being awake when she got back.

"Is everything alright, Jane?" Maura asked, clearing her throat from the emotion that had swollen in it in the fear of Jane's departure. Jane blinked, watching Joe stare from Maura to Jane and then bark happily.

"Joe!" Jane snapped, the dog whimpered and lowered her head, Maura smiled softly at the eager pup who she scratched her ears.

"I didn't think that you'd wake up so fast, Joe was whining and scratching at the door, I didn't want her to have an accident in the house-" Jane rationalized as she walked over to Maura and picked the dog up in her arms.

Joe Friday licked her owner's face, Jane blanched at the rough tongue lapping at her and made 'ick' noises as she lowered the dog, who then noticed Bass was awake and went to go bother the tortoise by jumping and pressing her paws against his shell playfully.

"Poor Bass," Jane smirked. Maura smiled at the animals' interactions. Jane looked back at Maura. "Are you okay?"

Maura looked up at Jane, who would not meet her eye, and Maura took Jane's hands in her own, lacing their fingers and pulling Jane down. Jane nearly lost her balance, and ungracefully caught herself before nearly colliding into Maura, who wrapped her arms around Jane the moment she had her.

Maura leaned up and nuzzled Jane's neck, kissing the soft flesh where a small red mark had formed from her interactions with Jane the night before.

"I woke up and you were gone," Maura's voice hitched in Jane's ear. Jane froze. "I thought you'd left."

"Maura," Jane sighed, and pulled back to see tears. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised. Jane leaned down and kissed Maura's eyes, then her nose, and cheeks, finally crashing into the softness that was her lovers' lips.

Maura moaned at Jane's bold tongue that swept her bottom lip, seeking entrance, she happily accepted and the kiss that had begun as tender and promising, soon turned passionate. Maura lifted Jane's shirt, happy to see that the detective had not bothered with undergarments.

Jane moaned at Maura's touches, and made short work of her pants before sliding under the sheets with Maura, who groaned at the contact of Jane's bare thigh against her hot core. She was hardly awake but even more turned on than the night before.

"God, what have you done to me, Jane?" Maura whimpered as Jane sucked on her collarbone and toyed with her breast, her other hand moving quickly to her folds where Jane could feel how ready Maura was. She wasted no time in slipping two fingers into Maura's center, tight and flowing, Jane moved her head lower to tease the pebbled nipple as she brought Maura closer to the edge.

"Jane," Maura cried. "God, Jane… _please_," Maura's voice caught in her throat as a scream of pleasure echoed throughout the room as she climaxed.

Jane pounded into her, making sure that Maura rode every wave as long and slow as possible, drawing it out until Maura was a sweaty, sticky hot mess before her. Jane withdrew her hand and seeing Maura's heavy eyes watch her; she brought one of the digits to her mouth and licked it clean, moaning in pleasure of Maura's taste.

Maura took the next action to flip Jane over, and kiss her with hunger and need. She had just slid her thigh up into Jane's crotch, feeling the wet heat spread over her leg, when two loud voices stopped both women's motions and Maura's heart stopped.

"_I do not care what my daughter thinks, Remy, I am telling you to stand aside, that woman WILL leave my house!_" Margaret Isles' voice came from outside the door. Jane saw the horror flicker over Maura's face, and made a move to get up and help her get dressed. But Maura had none of it.

"_Aunt, let the girls be, they need each other-_" Remy defended them. He was obviously trying to block the door from Margaret's intrusion.

"_I will hear no more of this, STAND aside!_" Margaret shouted. Maura was already up and at the door when it burst open, she was clad in nothing but a silk sheet, Jane could not move from her position on the bed.

Margaret's eyes went from flashing anger, to confusion as she then spotted the room and her daughter, to understanding of what was going on and then complete resentment and disgust toward the both of them, more so on Jane's behalf.

"_YOU!_" Margaret rounded on Jane. "You _sick_, TWISTED woman; what have you _done?_"

"Mother!" Maura shouted. "Don't you dare blame her; this is not Jane's fault!" Margaret rounded on her only daughter.

"And am I supposed to believe that _you're_ not just as guilty?" Margaret fired back, her voice laced with venom. "Maura Elizabeth Isles, this _behavior_ is unacceptable, it's _unnatural_!"

"Mother, please, it's the twenty-first century! There are thousands of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, if you haven't even realized that yet, then I feel sorry for you!" Maura shouted.

"You dare speak to me," Margaret's voice was low, shaking with violent anger. "You dare look at me for _forgiveness_ when you stand there in nothing but a damned sheet, after committing one of the most sinful acts!"

"If it is a sin to love Jane as much as I do then I don't care what God has to say-" Margaret made to slap Maura, but Jane was up in an instant flash, pulling Maura back behind her and grasping her arm in her own hand.

"Now you listen here, I've just about had enough of your bullshit!" Jane snapped.

"Jane-" Maura placed a calming hand on Jane's shoulder.

"Your daughter is a remarkable, caring, gentle-hearted woman," Jane barked. "She is thoughtful and kind, and she loves unconditionally, even if that person doesn't deserve it!"

Maura stared, slack-jawed at Jane's admission toward her mother.

"I feel _sorry_ for you, spending your life in a loveless marriage, and having the privilege of a beautiful adopted daughter, who tended to gain more attention than you, so you cast her aside to some French boarding school so as to not have to deal with her, and you can hoard all the attention for yourself, you bring her into a home to love and cherish, but raise her to believe that nothing she'd ever do was good enough," Jane's voice flattened with challenging anger.

"Now that she's finally made it to the point in her life where she can be happy, you want her to throw that aside and join your miserable life, because the thought of her having it all, having _everything_ you'd only dreamed about… drives you MAD!"

Jane tossed Margaret's arm aside, pitifully.

"I will never force Maura to do anything she doesn't want to do," Jane sighed. "I never even asked for her to love me, but I'm through questioning it, because I know, that that's just the person she _is_, she loves me, and I love her more than I could have ever imagined, can you even say the same?"

Jane watched Margaret's face fall with defeat from every word, as if it hit her like a physical blow. Jane whirled around and made her way back to the bed, picking up her clothes and storming off into the bathroom where she slammed the door behind her and proceeded to change.

Maura, Margaret and Remy stood silently, watching her go. Remy stared out of pure shock and elation, Margaret out of spite, and Maura out of pure adoration.

"Maura," Margaret stated, weakly as she saw her daughter move away to join Jane. "You can't -" Margaret paused, unable to form the words needed to be said. "You'd choose her over your own family?"

Maura's eyes softened, and stung with tears that she would not shed, not here. She moved toward her mother, the woman who had helped build a home for her for thirty odd years. She took her mother's hand in her own and Margaret let a single tear fall, Maura whisked it away.

"If you knew me at all, you'd know that answer," Maura stated, unforgiving. "I will love you forever, you're my mother, no matter the circumstances – but I love Jane, and I will not play your game of making me choose between the two of you."

Margaret's features hardened at her daughter's rebuttal. Her lips formed into a hard line and her eyes narrowed. She dropped Maura's hand, tossed it away, was a better term, and Maura felt her heart break, but only a small measure, as her mother disgustedly turned away and bristly walked away.

Maura's eyes closed against the onslaught of tears, wishing that she could figure out what to do to make everything right again… A soft hand came to her shoulder and, she felt the whiskers of Remy's scruffy face as he pressed a kiss against her temple.

"Don' you worry none 'bout her, 'chere," Remy sighed. "You still got me." Maura, feeling overwhelmed, and seeing the understanding love in her cousins' eyes, she fell into his arms, hugging him fiercely. "There, there," Remy saw the door to the bathroom open.

Jane walked out and froze at the sight of Maura crying in Remy's embrace, and her heart shattered at the thought that she'd already dealt with the loss of one parent, now it was Jane's responsibility for causing her to lose her only one left.

Remy pulled and released from Maura and mumbled to Maura, before kissing her forehead once, then leaving.

Maura turned, and was unsurprised to see Jane there, he must have warned her, Jane figured. But Jane could not move, watching Maura, trying to decipher what she could do to make this better.

"Jane," Maura's plea was simple. Jane didn't need to be told twice, understanding that it was alright. She moved forward and caught the blonde that threw her arms around Jane's neck as soon as she was within reach, Jane held onto the blanket that covered Maura's body, and helped settle her nagging doubts as she trembled in Jane's embrace.

_When I'm upset, take my hands, and remind me why I chose you…_

"I love you, Maura," Jane breathed into the soft blonde curls, kissing Maura's temple. "I love you, I love you, I love you," Jane repeated, soothingly, allowing the blonde to finish crying as Jane swept Maura up in her arms and carried her to the bed, holding her throughout the painful sobs that wracked her body.

"Don't leave me, Jane… please," Maura whimpered into Jane's chest. She clung to her like a lifeline, praying, clawing, needing to feel Jane close to her.

"Never, I swear it," Jane promised, kissing Maura soundly.

* * *

**AN: **well, moving right along. its been a LONG time since i have written a smut fic, so i hope i did justice, please review and let me know what you thought, thanks!


	11. New Beginnings

**Title: **Rags 'N' Riches

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Not mine!

**Reviews: **are very welcome additions to my egotistical writing brain! :) Muwahahaha! Feed the Bard?

**A/N: **I can't help but just say that I love you all so much for being so patient and loyal to this story, you have no idea how hard it is just trying to contain my excitement every time my phone alerts me to another email message from you guys! Thanks a million, here's your reward!

-11-

The next few days passed by in a haze of numb. Jane tried to be wherever Maura was, but found it extremely difficult to be near the blonde as she assisted her mother with phone calls, visits from friends of the family and business associates.

Margaret Isles still spoke of nothing but funeral arrangements and details to Maura and refused to even give Jane the time of day. Jane soon found it easier to stand aside and out of the way by helping in the kitchens with Remy as he busied himself in preparing and ensuring all guests had a proper meal. Jane was no brilliant cook, but Remy was patient and helped ease her into it by giving her proper direction and tools.

Remy became somewhat of a confidant for Jane, as she went through the motions of dealing with Maura's distance. From the time Maura woke up that morning in Jane's arms, they had made love when they showered and then dressed, and that was the end of their small world of romance. Maura had all but shut Jane out, along with the rest of the world as she made phone calls, prepped flower arrangements, decided on the proper attire for her fathers' burial and his choice of casket.

Jane had offered her assistance, but Maura had kindly told her it was under control. Despite that Jane knew Maura was dealing with the pain by handling everything on her own, it still stung that she would not let Jane help her to heal. The two women even lost their tempers the third evening in when Jane insisted that Maura stop trying to hide behind the funeral as a means of hiding from their relationship…

"_Relationship? Jane, right now, the only relationship we have is what you're seeing right now!_"_ Maura fired back, losing her head. "I don't have the time or convenience to just drop my father's funeral for your needs, I'm sorry if I seem a little preoccupied but if you can't seem to grasp that I've lost a very important person to me, then maybe you shouldn't be here!"_

Maura had not meant those words; she wished she could have taken them back. She could tell that Jane was truly thrown off by her hurtful admission, but despite that pain and Maura's cruelty in those heated moments, Jane still stayed. She did, however, move her things into the guest room, to give Maura more adequate space and time to think.

Maura had spent that night, the night before the viewing, crying more than sleeping as she curled into the pillow that had become Jane's for the past few nights, and clung to it like a raft, breathing in Jane's shampoo and scent, wishing she could hear her cries and just _understand_.

Jane _did _understand, she, too, spent the night before the viewing, doing nothing but lying in the spare bed with her dog curled up between her legs, staring at the ceiling, fighting the urge to cry. Wondering why she hadn't already packed her things and drove off to Boston, her mother and Frost had called her that day, she informed them what was happening, both gave their condolences, Angela nearly pulled a stunt like Jane and had Frank pack the car with supplies to drive down and be there for her until Jane insisted they just stay in Boston.

"_Are you sure you don't want us to stop by? I could bring plenty of food-" Angela had requested._

"_I'm sure, Ma, besides, Maura's cousin is a cook, and a pretty good one at that,_"_ Jane almost laughed as Angela scolded her for saying that someone else's cooking was better than her own mothers._

"_Give Maura a hug from me, and your Father, make sure you bring her by the next family Sunday dinner, she's always welcome here, ya know," Angela said._

"_I'll ask her, Ma, but don't expect too much if she says no, I won't force her-" Jane responded, seriously._

"_Fair enough, love you, sweet pea," Angela finished, and Jane bid her own goodbye before hanging up._

The viewing had to be even harder to bear than the funeral as Maura avoided all contact with Jane, and became ever more distant with every sorrowful response that was said to her.

"_So sorry for your loss…_"

"_Good that you at least got to say goodbye…_"

"_Can't imagine what you're going through, but it's good to see you doing so well…_"

Jane watched from the other side of the room as every visitor seemed to add more ice to the frigid sculpture that Maura had become over the span of a week. She had closed the walls around her, responding only with polite nods and automatic responses of thank you's to those who wished their condolences.

-x-

"She'll be just fine, 'chere, she's just hurting right now," Remy explained to Jane, who had brought up her concern for Maura for the umpteenth time. He continued to work at slicing the marinated lamb laying on the wooden table before him.

"I don't know what else to do, Remy," Jane confessed. "I don't know how much longer I can stand to watch her close herself off like this; it hurts to see her do this to herself-"

"She's grieving, 'chere," Remy sighed, interrupting Jane. "Yeh have to understand, where Maura comes from, where I spent a few years of me life, people like the kind yeh see out t'ere… They ain't kind people, think of me Aunt, almost every soul that has walked through that door has not one ounce of true kindness in 'em."

"I don't understand," Jane's eyebrows knitted together. Remy sighed and tossed some of the lamb into a hot skillet, it made loud sizzling and popping noises as the Teflon scalded the meat. Remy looked up at Jane, sincerity in his cobalt blue eyes.

"T'ink about me Aunt, how she's treated yeh," Remy responded. "T'ese people showin' there faces, don't non of 'em care me Uncle, or Maura… or even Aunt, they just show up because of t'e money, t'ere afraid of the scandal it could cause if they did't show up to such an important event."

"So they don't show up to say goodbye to Richard, they just show up because of the Isles' family name and wealth?" Jane asked, flabbergasted at such an admission. Remy nodded.

"Don't none of t'em care about Uncle, Hell I'd be shocked if t'ey even knew his cause of death," Remy went back to chopping, his movements more forceful out of the spite he felt toward the strangers in his families' home.

"Why would Margaret want them over then? I mean honestly, it's like inviting me to the funeral, and she doesn't even _want_ me here!" Jane spat. Remy added a bit more cayenne pepper to the frying lamb.

"Yeah, but you ain't got no money, 'chere," Remy admitted. "Yer family ain't in high enough social status, t'is funeral is more for saving face and showin' off that my Aunt can still host a proper gathering without me Uncle 'round."

Jane was just about to snap another protest when another voice cut her off.

"Remy darling, Mrs. Davis is here with her granddaughter, would you be so kind as to fix that wonderful green bean dish that she couldn't stop bragging about from last month?" Margaret waltzed into the kitchen.

Jane tried to fight the urge to slap the woman senseless in anger of what she'd just learned, horrified as Remy responded kindly and she then watched as Margaret left the kitchen, not giving any significant notice to Jane's presence, not that she cared.

"She's still a bitch," Jane said with no surprise to her voice. Remy only chuckled.

"When yeh have family like t'is, yeh have to learn how to grow a thick skin, else wise yeh'll be chewed up and spit out like Herb's meatloaf-" he grinned, cockily at the overweight cook that was across the kitchen tending to the dessert trays. Jane shuddered, recalling last evenings meal and how horrible the meatloaf had been, she watched Herb add icing to the pie and then lick a little crème off of his thumb and go back to doing the same thing.

She was _not_ eating any dessert tonight.

"I don't think I'm very hungry-" Jane rolled her eyes at Remy's snicker, but then froze as a familiar sense washed over her and she heard the familiar clicks of heels before she turned around and saw Maura standing in the entrance of the kitchen.

Jane stood still, watching her lover waltz in, her eyes clouded over in the same mask as before, her face near impossible to read, frozen in the same numb fixture. As she spoke, Maura's voice was cold, and distant.

"Remy, do you have anything to help settle my stomach; I still taste meatloaf from last evening…" Maura sighed. Remy cracked a smile at Jane from their previous conversation, but Jane was lost on Maura, watching her with pique interest.

The dark circles had returned beneath Maura's eyes, her skin had a pale demeanor to it, hidden behind the makeup, Jane could see the sunken stature, and her voice sounded dreadful and weary.

"Stomach, neh?" Remy looked around his kitchen, and brightened. "Got just the t'ing, you hold fast." He left the two women alone, grabbing Herb by the collar and dragging him out with him. Jane watched him go and then saw his wink and realized that he was giving her the opportunity to be alone with Maura.

_I'm really starting to like that crazy Cajun,_ Jane smiled inwardly, and looked back at Maura, who was finding an interest in her shoes, refusing to meet Jane's gaze.

"You look like Hell," Jane stated, obvious. She could feel, more than see Maura's wince at the crude comment.

"I haven't slept well since this whole thing began-" Maura replied, her voice small. Jane moved closer, and Maura could see her feet within her vision and she made to move away but Jane grabbed her hand and Maura made a short yelp that died in her throat, sounding like a whimper. Her gaze lifted, only slightly and Jane saw the painful gleam of tears in Maura's eyes.

"Maura…" Jane breathed. "Look at me, sweetheart." She used her other hand to gently cradle Maura's face. "Here," she whispered, just low enough for Maura to hear as she made contact with Maura's eyes.

Maura's vision swam as she looked Jane in the eye. Maura could not lie, she'd been watching Jane all day, torn between wanting to grab Jane and run as far from here as possible, and wanting to stay angry with the Detective for a reason she knew wasn't even worth being mad about, but her pride was much too strong and made her stay that way.

"You need to sleep," Jane rationalized. "You know what will happen if you don't-"

"Slurred speech… short attention span and a slow loss of motor control, then sudden visions and de- _mmfph-_" Maura's Google-mouth was cutoff as Jane kissed her.

Maura melted into Jane's arms, one held her waist, one continued to stroke her face, holding her steady in fear that she would pull away. Maura did no such thing, returning the kiss with fervor, her heart skyrocketed, suddenly feeling all of her walls crumble around her. Jane kissed her with all of the love and passion in her heart, hoping that Maura could somehow feel how badly she'd missed her these past few days.

Maura had been going crazy, she'd wanted nothing more than to just turn into Jane's embrace every time she had to deal with another familiar face that wished her well and gave their sorry excuses for a condolence toward her fathers' memory. No more of that, _this_ is where Maura wanted to be, right here, being held, being kissed, and cherished by the woman that held her heart in her hands.

"I want you, Jane," Maura whimpered against Jane's lips, tangling her hands in Jane's hair, pulling her closer, their bodies smashed together, yet aching for more.

"I love you," Jane kissed Maura more fervently than before. Her lips trailing down along her jaw, nibbling, biting, her hands travelled down Maura's waist, gripping her firm buttocks in her hands, making Maura moan, Jane smiled and bit down on the sensitive area over Maura's collarbone that she knew would drive the blonde crazy.

Maura's leg slid upward and then Jane was cradling both as they wrapped around Jane's waist tightly, strong enough to support her weight as Jane lifted her onto the wooden countertop. Jane reached out behind Maura and thrust the cutting board and a spatula out of the reach, they collided onto the tile floor as Maura eased back and Jane made quick work of lifting her shirt and bra, Maura gasped as Jane took Maura's waist and pulled her back up bringing her face to nuzzle between the perfectly rounded breasts.

Jane took her right nipple between her teeth and sucked hard until it tightened into a painful nub, Maura gasped.

"God, Jane… _fuck me, please,_" Maura sighed, tangling her hands back in Jane's dark curls, Jane eased her back down as she worked to yank the pantyhose off of Maura's waist and slid her hand up the sleek black pinstripe skirt. Her libido went into overdrive at Maura's desperate plea, and she wasted no time in shoving three digits into Maura's folds, stroking, petting, fucking her senseless, Maura only needed about five strokes before she screamed Jane's name and suddenly collapsed into a withering heap on the countertop.

Jane's breathing was ragged, she watched her lover come down from her high, unable to believe that which just happened. She had just literally fucked Maura Isles on a kitchen counter… and she was positive that she'd never seen anything more beautiful.

"What in tar nation was all that noi- _OH MY GOD!_" Margaret Isles shouted in pure rage and shock as Maura leapt up, pulling her shirt down and mussing with her skirt, Jane tried to help her regain her pantyhose, but the offending objects were nowhere in sight.

"Margaret? What's the matter-?" another elder voice came around.

"No! Betty, please, I've got this, it's just- an insolent _pest,_" Jane felt a stab of anger wash over her at Margaret's term that she knew was directed toward her. Betty did not appear, but Margaret did not leave after her either, choosing instead to come into the kitchen where Maura stood vigilant by Jane's side, taking her hand. Jane squeezed Maura's hand to show her support.

_I'm not going anywhere… as long as you need me._

"Mother, before you start – I want you to know that if you dare insult or say one horrible thing toward Jane or about her, I will walk out of this house and never return," Maura challenged, her voice laced with venom.

"You… you _dare_ tell me, what to say? What to _think_?" Margaret's calm voice shook in rage. Her grey eyes flashing like cold daggers. "You are in _no_ spot, young lady, to tell _me_ where to turn this conversation, and as for _you-_"

Jane stiffened as Margaret rounded her anger toward her, Jane stood closer to Maura shielding her from Margaret who kept edging closer to the two of them.

"I love your daughter, Mrs. Isles," Jane's voice was steadier than she felt, but the admission was rock solid. "There is nothing in the world you can do to me to change that… I will always be here, wherever Maura goes, I'll be by her side."

"And I, by hers, Mother," Maura stepped up, confirming the answer of her mother's question so many days ago. "I choose Jane."

"Get. Out." Margaret spat. "Get _out _of my home, the both of you, I don't ever wish to see you set so much as a _hair_ on my property ever again! You are _dead _to me, Maura Elizabeth! DEAD!"

"Then I guess that means I'm free to go as well," Remy spat, coming from around the corner. His eyes were blue fire, his scowl misplaced on his usually friendly face.

"Remy, no-" Maura admonished.

"I won't sit round here none and watch you destroy my family, Aunt," Remy snapped, moving to be near Jane and Maura. "T'ese girls love one another, and if you t'row t'em out, yeh may as well cut me outta the family as well."

"I don't give a damn," Margaret spurred. "The only thing that keeps you in this family is your food, if you honestly think for a second I cared about some crack-Cajun little bastard that my no-good sister bore out of wedlock then you're sadly mistaken!"

Jane had to grab Remy's collar to stop him from lunging at his Aunt and hitting her. Margaret reared back, fearful.

"You _bitch!_" Remy spat. "You _devil_ woman," he spat at the ground near her foot. "My mot'er was a good woman! A lovin' woman, and me Dad was just as good, t'ey knew how to love their children, more than I can say 'bout you! I'm done!"

Remy stormed past Margaret, fighting the urge to shove her to the ground, before he idly turned around.

"Ya'll comin'?" he asked, still huffing in anger. Jane waited for Maura to make the first move. Maura, whose eyes were clouded with tears of betrayal and anger, looked away from her mother to Remy, and then to Jane, and Jane saw them immediately soften.

"I want to go home, Jane," Maura said. Jane blinked, replaying Maura's sentence, before gently squeezing Maura's hand.

"Let's go," Jane nodded and the two of them walked past Margaret, saying nothing, not even looking at her as they each headed toward their respective rooms and began packing their things.

Jane watched, stunned as Maura idly tossed her clothes into her bag, not even bothering to fold them, the look on her lover's face made her think twice about teasing her about wrinkled dresses and missing shoes, and instead, Maura helped make certain she remembered everything.

"You girls ready?" Remy stood at the door, a simple duffel slung over his shoulder, he wore a bright purple LSU ball cap on backwards that stood out in stark contrast to his white shirt.

"Remind me to send you a Red Sox hat," Jane smirked as she felt Maura move toward her, bag in one hand, Jane's hand grasping her other. Remy moved to grab Bass in his cage.

"He's a heavy t'ing, now ain't he?" Remy stated. "Gotta stop lettin' yer Ma feed ya so well." Jane smirked, but Maura was still unable to even bat an eyelash as they made their way down the stairs.

"Maura," Jane froze as they neared the door and Margaret stood her eyes sincere and filled with tears. "Maura, please don't do this…"

"You've expressed that you wish for me to be gone, Mother, I am biding you that wish," Maura stated coolly.

"I don't want you to _leave_, I want _her_ gone," Margaret snapped, directing her gaze at Jane. Jane opened her mouth to protest.

"Mother, what do you not understand?" Maura beat her to it, scowling. "Jane goes. I go."

"Now there is no need for this, Maura, honestly, do you even realize the scandal you're putting yourself in?" Margaret asked. "You are a bright young woman, with a future! The moment you out yourself as a… a _lesbian_, " she shuddered at the word, "all that hard work and your life will go down the drain, and when that happens I won't be here to take you in!"

"I understand that social status means everything to you, Mother, that is why I leave you to it, I'll go back to my life, with _my _girlfriend, _my _job, _my_ home and enjoy the fact that I live in a world with people who love _me_ for who I am," Maura spoke each syllable clearly so as to not be mistaken. Margaret could only watch in horror as her daughter made to move past her.

"No, _please _Maura, don't- you don't know what it's like-!" she reached to tear Maura away from Jane, Jane reached out for her, Maura yelped and Joe Friday growled, snapping at the elder Isles' heels.

Margaret released Maura at the impeccable dog.

"My _word_, get away! Shoo!" she snapped at Joe Friday, who growled, shooting her teeth at the woman who dared to harm Maura or Jane. Remy chuckled.

"Aunt never was too fond of dogs-" he whispered to Jane. Jane bit back a smirk as the dog continued to back Margaret into a corner, Margaret cowered.

"Joe," Jane whistled. The dog immediately stopped growling and twisted around, looking at Jane. Jane nodded her head and gave the dog a look that meant to heel. Joe Friday wagged her tail and made her way over to her owners, Maura scooped down to pick up the dog, Margaret watched in utter disgust as Maura allowed the hairy mongrel to lick her face.

Maura smiled at the affectionate pup, and then turned back to her mother.

"I'm so sorry things had to end this way," Maura sighed. "I loved you, and I loved Richard, you were both amazing parents to me –" Maura's voice got stuck in her throat as she swallowed to clear it, she felt Jane place a warm hand on her shoulder and Maura knew, that this was the right decision, she would not regret this, yet it did not stop her voice from shaking as she finished these last words.

"Goodbye, Mother," Maura walked out of the door to her home, out of the life of the Isles' family, Remy and Jane in tow, Joe whining at the admission of being held when she was outside and there were leaves being tossed about in the wind to play with.

Remy placed Bass in the backseat and Jane took Joe Friday out of Maura's arms and Remy loaded their luggage down.

"Well this will be where I say me g'bye's to yeh, 'chere," Remy spoke solemnly as he tossed his own luggage into the back of his old Chevrolet. "But don't yeh forget to still come down t'is summer, you too, Jane." He nodded at the brunette who had her arm around Maura's waist, to help keep her steady.

Maura was thankful for the support as she took a shaky breath and looked back at the home she'd always known, reality slapping her in the face now that she knew she could never come back. But then again, she would always have memories.

"We'll be there," Jane promised. "You can always come up to Boston, too, ya know?"

"And dig through t'is cold weather?" Remy laughed, rubbing his arms. "Naw, I t'ink I'll manage jus' fine down South, ya'll don't be strangers now." He wrapped his arms around Maura.

"Ya done good, 'chere, I love ya," Remy whispered. Maura held onto him, reveling in his warmth and love. He was her reminder that in some cases, you actually CAN choose family.

Remy let her go with a crooked smile and a kiss to her cheek, before he turned and hugged Jane just as fervently.

"Good meetin' yeh, 'chere," Remy smiled and let her down.

"You, too," Jane smiled and they watched as he waved again, from inside his old truck that sputtered to life, Jane hoped he would make it back to Louisiana in that thing, she shrugged as he rounded the corner of the road and he was no longer in sight.

"Well," Maura sighed. "Best hit the road, then." She made to open her passenger side door of Jane's car, but Jane placed her hand on the door, effectively stopping her.

"Maura, are you sure about this?" Jane questioned. Maura looked Jane in the eye, seeing her discomfort, her doubts.

"I'm sure, Jane," Maura reached up, and caressed her face, feeling her heart warm at the sensation of Jane's skin beneath her fingertips. "I'm sure that I love you, that I will always love you, and that no one in this world could make me happier than you, Jane."

"I just… I don't want you to hate me for this – this thing with your Mother-" Maura cut her off with a finger to her lips.

"I'm a grown woman, Jane, I can make my own decisions, yes, I am hurt that it had to come to this, but _this_ has been a long time coming, my parents… they were wonderful, at one point, but my father is gone and my mother needs to learn what it is to really live on her own, I'm not shutting her out completely, but if she still refuses to accept my love for you, then that is her own loss, not mine. You understand?"

Jane thought it over, Maura seemed crystal clear, she watched as Maura's eyes turned into pools of emerald, watching her, filled with love and eternity.

"I understand," Jane admitted. She moved Maura's finger and leaned forward to capture the lips of the woman that was her world, her light in the dark. Maura's arms wound around Jane's neck and she moaned into the kiss, sighing softly in response to Jane's passion. They broke apart, resting their foreheads together.

"Take me home, Jane," Maura sighed. "My _real_ home."

Jane happily obliged.

**xFINx**

* * *

**AN:** And that concludes Rags 'N' Riches, I do hope that all of you will take the time to PLEASE review me one last time, tell me what you thought of the story, if there could have been something more, something done different, maybe request a sequel cause ya never know? thank you all for sticking through this with me, you're all so fantastic! **_and remember if you havent yet voted on the Christmas Rizzles poll, you should do so before 23Dec10, if you want to be apart of making a Rizzles Christmas come true! :)_**


	12. Surprise!

**Title: **_Rags 'N' Riches_

**Author: **LJBard

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, never were, I just use them to play with my imaginary fantasies.

**Reviews: **YES!

**A/N: **So I couldn't help but be astounded at how many reviews were left on the last chapter, asking for more… and whilst the sequel IS in the works, and hopefully the first draft should be up sometime before or after the New Year, I figured I could at least leave you guys a little closure until then! :) Enjoy, and please continue to FEED the bard!

-X-

Maura through most of the ride home with Jane, Joe Friday curled up in her lap, her left hand twined in Jane's right hand, even unconsciously; it never faltered nor loosened, remaining tight in its grip. Jane did not mind.

When they finally hit the Boston skyline, it was daybreak, and there was a fresh foot of snow on the ground, surprisingly Jane marveled in the beautiful array of orange glow casting onto the white powder, sending shimmering light throughout the cinderblocks and glass panes of the city she'd been born and raised in.

As she came upon a stop sign, Jane turned her eyes from one beautiful sight to another, gazing at the sleeping doctor with love and awe. Maura looked amazing, even with her hair slightly tangled and out of place, and Jane couldn't help but wonder how she'd gotten so lucky. Maura had given up so much for her that it made Jane's heart ache at how little she seemed to be able to return.

"If you keep staring at me like that, you're going to have to pull over because I won't be responsible for my actions," Maura's voice was thick with sleep as she spoke, eyes closed.

"How'd you know I was staring at you and not the city?" Jane smirked.

"Because we've been stopped for nearly four minutes now and there are cars passed you, honking and screaming for you to… well, I won't repeat what I hear-" Maura's lips quirked into a shy grin as her hazel eyes opened and she shielded them for a moment against the brightness of the oncoming day.

"Wow," she breathed, seeing the city caked in snow, glistening.

"Yeah, wow," Jane smiled, still staring at Maura. Maura looked over at Jane and saw how rich her brown eyes were in the sunrise, like looking down into a cup of fine coffee or dark tea. But nothing could ever determine or measure up to the softness and affection in the swirls of brown.

"As much as I'd love to kiss you senseless right now, Jane, I _do_ need to use a restroom, and I believe Joe Friday and Bass would say the same if they could-" Maura smiled. Joe Friday let out a low whine at her name, somehow agreeing with the blonde, Bass remained silent.

"Okay, I'll move," Jane grinned and finally hit the gas, heading into the heart of the city.

-x-

"Jane, your apartment is the other way-" Maura contemplated as they turned left, bypassing Jane's street.

"We're not going to my place," Jane answered, simply.

"You're right, Bass needs to be let out, my place will be just fine, I could use a spare change of clothes-"

"Your place, either," Jane interrupted, smirking.

"Then where are you taking me, Jane?" Maura asked, raising an inquisitive brow, cocking her head to the side, curiously.

"Do you know what day it is, Maura?" Jane asked, simply, changing the conversation.

"Thursday," Maura responded, impatiently. "Jane, where are we going?"

"You'll see," Jane answered.

Maura sighed, not liking her lovers' despondent answers, but going along with it nonetheless.

-x-

"Jane, I can_not_ go into your parent's home looking like this!" Maura defended, refusing to unbuckle her seatbelt as they stopped outside of the Rizzoli household.

"Maura, you can change into a clean dress and shower, I doubt Ma and Pop are even awake, then again, Frankie's probably already done that job for us," Jane noticed Frankie's beaten down truck parked in the drive.

"Jane, no, please it has been a hard enough week, I don't really care to be around people right now, _please,_" Maura begged.

"Maura, honey-" Jane took the hysterical woman's hands into her own. "Shh, please, relax," she cooed as the blonde's eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Maura, its Christmas day," Jane spoke, gently. Maura's eyes blinked and then suddenly brightened with recognition that she had truly forgotten that it _was_ indeed, Christmas day. "I know that it has been a rough week, for the _both_ of us, you more so than anyone else, but today is going to be different."

"Today I am going to take you into my parents home, and introduce you as my girlfriend, we're going to sit and have dinner with people that love you as much as I do, and show you that family is everywhere you turn-" Jane watched as the hurtful tears in Maura's eyes turned into tears of joy.

"Jane…" Maura breathed, a tear falling. Jane leaned forward and kissed the wet trail on Maura's face, and then leaned in again to capture Maura's lips, silencing her effectively.

"I love you," Jane whispered. "Tomorrow we can deal with what has happened, today, I want you to just forget everything, as hard as it may be, I want to just see you smile, for real and I can think of no better way than to let you celebrate the holiday with _our_ family and friends…"

Maura's eyes closed as she leaned her forehead against Jane's and nodded.

"I want that, too," her voice shook. "But," she sniffled and regained her composure, "I still refuse to be seen in a wrinkled dress." Jane guffawed, and then laughed, before turning off the ignition and then helping her girlfriend out of the car.

Jane then grabbed Maura's suitcase and her own while Maura handled Joe Friday. She traded off one of her bags for Jane to take Bass, and they waltzed up the stairs…

Frankie got to the door before Jane could unlock it, he was sporting a Santa hat, still in his long johns and Boston Red Sox pajama pants, a grin spread across his face.

"Janie! Merry Christmas!" he shouted. "Maura-!" his eyes widened at the first sight of the doctor, having never seen the blonde so disheveled.

"Frankie, step aside so Maura can get a shower and change, take Bass," she offered the tortoise to Frankie who took the cage, unwillingly, like handling a poisonous insect and helped the ladies get settled.

-x-

Maura had rushed to get into the bathroom before any of the other Rizzoli family members could see her. Jane assured her that despite Frankie's hardest attempts, Angela and Frank Sr. were still not yet awake. Frankie had only managed to tear through his stocking before Jane could stop him.

Maura heard the doorbell ring downstairs and then heard Angela's yell for someone to get it. So the Rizzoli's were awake now. There were moments quiet while Maura got dressed, before the doorbell rang again and this time, all was quiet until Maura nearly messed up her lipstick at the sound of a shriek.

"TOMMY! OH MY GAWD!" she heard Angela yell, then heard Frank and Frankie both give hearty welcomes. Maura recalled Jane telling her the story of her elder brother, Tommy, who had apparently been a recovering alcoholic that only drank twice… a day now.

As Maura deemed herself approachable, she opened the door and nearly had a heart attack as Jane leaned against the door frame, having also showered in her parents' bathroom and changed into a deep red v-neck shirt and black jeans.

"Everyone's here," Jane stated.

"Including your other brother, from what I heard?" Maura asked. Jane nodded, her face growing solemn at the mention of Tommy. She loved her older brother, but she hated how he lived his life.

"Are you sure you still want to let the world know about us?" Maura asked, hesitating. She fidgeted with her hands, staring at her shoes, suddenly feeling obnoxious for having been excited over being introduced as Jane's girlfriend to her family. Jane stopped Maura's hands with her own, bringing them up to her chest.

"I'm more than sure, Maura," Jane made Maura look at her, kissing her knuckles. "I just want you to know that you're happy…" Maura beamed.

"I am as long as you're with me," she explained. She then leaned up and pecked Jane's mouth sweetly. Jane stopped Maura from breaking the kiss by placing one hand on the back of Maura's neck and turning the kiss passionate. Maura moaned as Jane's tongue swept over her bottom lip, seeking entrance. Maura was just about to grant it when they were rudely interrupted.

"Holy shit, when did you start dating _women_, Janie!" came an unfamiliar voice to Maura. Maura broke from Jane's kiss, and turned, but stayed in Jane's protective embrace, whereas Jane stared ahead at the intrusion with aggravation.

"Mind your own fucking business, Tommy!" Jane growled.

Tommy, like the other two Rizzoli children, had thick dark hair, his in particular fell down around his ears in a light shag, his eyes were also brown, but closer to a hazel like that of Angela's, he was unshaven, with a sporty goatee and a slight shadow around his face from lack of a morning shave.

"Language, Jane," Maura whispered.

"I _was_ minding my own business, comin' up to use the bathroom and wham! What do I walk into but my baby sister makin out with some chick-"

"Shut up, Tommy!"

"Jane was kissin' who?" Frankie popped his head around the corner of the stairs.

Jane brightened with anger and moved forward to hit her brothers but Maura stopped her by swinging her around and planting the most sensual kiss on Jane that caused the Detective to lose her footing and then crash herself and Maura into the wall where she effectively pinned the blonde and moaned into her mouth.

"Janie, what is goi- Oh _my-_" Angela gasped upon the sight of her only daughter engaged in a heated lip lock with another woman.

Jane broke the kiss, breathing heavily, staring into Maura's eyes. Maura only stared right back, determined, her own breathing ragged from the heat of the kiss.

"Ma, I'd like to formally announce to you all that Maura Isles is my girlfriend," Jane announced.

"Since when, Janie?" Angela asked, a bit breathless from shock. But Maura peeked from the corner of her eye and saw nothing but tears of joy in her eyes at the announcement. Maura felt a pang of guilt in her heart at wishing she could have seen that same adoration and love in her own mothers eyes.

"That's not important," Jane responded, kindly. "What is, is that you all accept us, I want Maura to know what it's like to still have family to rely on, I love her, and she loves me, that's all you _need_ to know."

"Damn, and here I was prayin' she'd ditch ya later for me," Tommy raised his eyebrows in a teasing manner at Maura. Maura, however, did not distinguish that matter, not knowing Tommy at all, and insisted to stomp on his bare foot with her heel. Jane and Frankie busted out laughing as Tommy groaned, bending forward, then yelped out in pain.

"Take that for messin' with my woman," Jane laughed.

"Well, when the four of ya have had enough fun breakin' toes, come downstairs so we can get your father to help open up these presents, and Janie, Korsak and Frost are here, ya may want to give them a fair warnin-" Angela nodded toward Maura. Jane nodded.

"Your partners are here?" Maura asked as the three Rizzoli's headed back downstairs, not without a last wink from Frankie as he helped his brother.

"Yeah, they arrived not ten minutes before Tommy showed up, c'mon, there's a stocking with both our names on them downstairs-" Jane's face lit up like a true child on Christmas morning. Maura, almost forgetting her train of thought by the budding amusement of it all, paused Jane with a touch of her hand.

"What is it?" Jane asked, reading Maura. "Are you okay with this?" Jane took both Maura's hands, lacing their fingers together. "About how I told them?" Maura nodded, smiling, but closed her eyes at the onslaught of tears.

"Bet they definitely didn't see that coming," Maura choked. Jane brought Maura closer and kissed the crown of her head, sighing.

"No, my family wasn't nearly as intuitive as yours… especially your father," Jane smiled at the fond memory of the old man. Maura froze at this statement and looked up, puzzled.

"My father?" she asked.

"He knew," Jane stated, honestly, she wouldn't lie to Maura, she knew she had not told Maura yet of her conversation with Richard and had been wondering why the blonde had never insisted on knowing in the first place. But then, remembering how Richard spoke of Maura, and how alike the two seemed to be, she realized that Maura wasn't the person to inquire about anything unless she truly had to know, especially when it came to matters with Jane.

She loved that about Maura, knowing that when things got rough, she could go to Maura, without questions asked, and just seek comfort without having to be confronted about a means of why or what happened? Jane's eyes softened toward her lover as she kissed her head and then her nose.

"He knew…" Jane repeated. "I practically told him how I felt about you after he insisted that I take care of you… and then told me that love is about how you both feel toward each other, nothing else."

Maura's eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

"Damnit," she swore under her breath, Jane guffawed.

"Oh, so it's okay for _you _to swear, but Heaven forbid if I utter one little phrase that – _mmfph…_" Jane was stopped by a kiss, short and sweet.

"I just swore because I am so sick of crying in front of you, I hate that I cannot seem to control myself whenever you're around me," Maura sighed. "Thinking back I _never_ would have let Garrett or another person have their way with me on a kitchen counter in my mother's home…"

Fire stirred in Jane's belly at the reminder of their scenic kitchen rendezvous.

"_Janie! C'mon we're openin' presents!_" Frankie's voice boomed from downstairs.

"What're you two doin' up there?" Frost's voice chimed in.

"Probably havin' a quickie- owww, Ma!" Tommy whined. Jane smirked at that.

"Be nice to your sister, Maura's a sweetheart!" Angela scolded.

Jane looked back to Maura, who could see the eager present-ripping child trying to peek out from her collected exterior.

"Let's go," Maura smiled. Jane squealed and practically dragged Maura down the stairs toward the hall and into the living room.

"Whoa, there, Janie, they ain't goin' no where!" Korsak laughed, handling Joe Friday in his arms, he wore a bright red Santa hat to match Frankie's, and Jane nearly missed the elf ears that Frost was wearing as well.

"Nice ears, Spock," Jane grinned. Frost flipped her off, but smiled nonetheless.

"Merry Christmas to you as well, Rizzoli," he smirked.

"Alright, enough's enough, Jane come over here and get yours and Maura's stockings," Frank Sr. handed them out over the large pile of presents blocking his path. Maura smiled as Jane handed her a bright red stocking that had Maura's name written across the top of the sock in bright gold glitter. There was a hand drawn stethoscope and a stick on clipboard and heart with a cross on it, to signify Maura's status as a doctor. Maura's heart warmed at the kind gesture.

"Thank you for the lovely stocking, Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura smiled. Jane laughed.

"The stocking isn't the present, Maura, it's what's inside!" Jane said, digging through her own stocking like an eager kid. She had wrapping paper in her hair. Maura chuckled at Jane's childlike giddiness and noticed Frankie and even Tommy, somewhat, were the exact same way, spoiled kids, not that there was a problem with that.

Frost laughed as Korsak opened his present and glared at Frost for the 'Bah Humbug' coffee mug.

"I am not!" Korsak chided. "Oh well, another good donation to Goodwill, I say." Frost and Jane rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Sweet, thanks Pop!" Tommy opened his bag and held out a bottle of 100 proof Southern Comfort.

"You did not just give Tommy alcohol, Pop," Frankie warned, watching his brother pop the cap on the bottle and swig.

Maura cringed at the sight, Jane punched him in the spine to get him to stop. He sputtered.

"Damnit, ya'll need to quit hittin me 'fore I decide to leave!" Tommy shouted.

"Then quit deservin' it," Jane growled, opening an box from her Mother. "Ma, what on Earth?" Jane's eyebrow rose at the piece inside that Maura couldn't see until Jane lifted a beautiful aged silver ring from the box, it was a simple ring, square cut stone that looked like a pearl…

"That was your great-grandma Rosalind's favorite ring, moonstone, said it brought her all the luck, Your grandma Kate tried to bury her with it, but it has been in the family for three generations now, I figured it was time you kept it," Angela responded, nonchalantly.

"Well I am not much for jewelry but I will keep it, for keepsakes, thanks, Ma," Jane smiled and pocketed the ring.

"Maura, honey, open yours!" Angela continued, badgering the doctor. Maura blinked, coming back to the room, she smiled, and dug into her stocking, pulling out a bag of fudge clusters…

"Oh, I _love_ these! Thank you so much, Mrs. Rizzoli!" Maura smiled.

"Those were actually Frank's idea, and please, call me Angela, goodness, child you're amongst family!" Angela beamed.

"Well, thank you Mrs. Ri – Angela," Maura smiled, and then nodded also at Frank, who beamed.

"Open mine!" Frankie smiled, passing over a bright blue box to Jane to hand toward Maura. Maura opened the note first.

"_Maura, sorry about tearing your house apart, but hopefully this will make up for it – Frankie R._" Maura read aloud. She looked at Jane who just threw a quarter at Frankie's head for the note.

"Idiot!" she hissed.

"What about my house?" Maura inquired, unhappily as she stared her girlfriend down.

"Nothing, open mine next-" Jane fiddled with the ribbon on a thick, shiny red package.

"Jane-" Maura narrowed her gaze, but took the box, and opened the wrapping paper. Inside was a heavy, leather-bound album, as Maura opened it, she looked at Jane, puzzled but Jane stared at the gift, with hope in her eyes.

Maura's heart melted at the first page where she saw photos of the two of them, starting with one from the night they first met. Maura could tell that Frost or Jane or maybe even Korsak had edited the photo to block out the crime scene they were standing in, however, looking back on the night, the look that the two of them shared in the photo as they shook hands…

Jane's eyes were bright with enthusiasm and a smirk on her features that Maura could easily read as descriptive and testing. Maura recalled how Jane had been rather awkward around Maura for the first hour until she came to realize that Maura knew exactly what she was doing and wouldn't take a bullshit excuse for the cause of death, immediately earning respect from the brunette detective.

The next few pages were of the two of them sharing fun with their friends, and the Boston Homicide department, from the fun they shared on the baseball diamond to the late night celebrations over a case won at the Dirty Robber. Maura stumbled across the final page where Jane held her breath, waiting for Maura's reaction as Maura saw pictures of herself as a child, sitting by her father's side, and then some of her growing up, again, all with Richard, Maura knew that there would be none of her mother as Margaret had never been one for having her photo taken.

Maura's eyes stung with tears, and she took a shuddered breath as she gazed over the pictures of the funeral, she was shocked that she had never seen Jane with a camera, despite how in tuned she was to her presence, but every picture Maura saw, the more she could see that Jane had never been in her line of sight when taking these photos.

She was a third party, watching herself shake hands, accept apologies and then one breathtaking picture of Maura standing by her father's casket, she remembered thinking she was alone at last, this had been right before she had realized her mistakes with Jane and had gone to find her in the kitchen, she had stood before her father's casket, one hand resting on the flower arrangement, the other on her father's arm.

Her eyes, unreadable from the photo's angle, she turned the page, unable to see anymore and almost gasped at the sight before her of Jane's page where it started with the photo Korsak had donated from the night of Jane's capture by the serial killer Hoyt, where she had painstakingly been sitting while the medic tended to her hands, one hand held in Korsak's, then another photo of Jane in the hospital, asleep, hands curled up protectively by her heart, bandaged and then on the next page was a note written by Jane to Maura.

_Maura,_

_I began this album with only a few pictures of us to start, wanting to let you take it over and begin building your own memories with that while keeping a small memory of me. But as I grew deeper and deeper in love with you, this album grew with not only the good memories, but the bad as well._

_I want to be there with you through them all, and never forget the pains and sorrows that have only ended to bring us both joy. You make my life worth living every day, Maura, simply by waking up and breathing. So what I hope you will take this gift as is a means of starting our journey together, through everything, thick and thin, my love for you will never falter._

_Love Always,_

_Jane_

Maura had to blink and wipe her eyes several times just to get through the second paragraph. She sighed, wishing she could stop crying, if only just for once, what was wrong with her tear ducts?

"Maura, sweetie, what is it?" Angela asked, worried as she rubbed Maura's back carefully. Maura looked up at her and smiled, seeing Angela… and Frank, and the Rizzoli clan as well as Korsak and Frost, and at that moment, truly knew what Jane meant by wanting to be a _part_ of a family, not just in one.

Jane smiled as she locked eyes with Maura, who beamed lovingly at her, no words need be said, they knew all too well what the other was thinking without needing to speak the words aloud…

_I love you. Forever._

**END PART I**

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**AN:** Sooo, yeah it took me a while to stop finally adding piece after piece without feeling the need to actually WRITE a sequel, lol, and i hope that this answered a lot of questions and doubts that you all had, keep an eye out next year (January) for the second part of the RNR installment, coming soon to a Rizzles lover near you! :) Happy Holidays!


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